Who is the Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition?

Our mission is to reverse the trend of mass incarceration in Colorado. We are a coalition of nearly 7,000 individual members and over 100 faith and community organizations who have united to stop perpetual prison expansion in Colorado through policy and sentence reform.

Our chief areas of interest include drug policy reform, women in prison, racial injustice, the impact of incarceration on children and families, the problems associated with re-entry and stopping the practice of using private prisons in our state.

If you would like to be involved please go to our website and become a member.


Thursday, April 05, 2007

Pot Trial Delayed

Mr. Branson has stated that a doctor advised him to smoke marijuana to relieve his nausea and side effects from the medicine he has to take to stay alive. It took awhile to find the doctor to testify; she's in South Africa fighting AIDS.

Brighton - The trial of an AIDS patient accused of flaunting Colorado's medical-marijuana law was delayed Wednesday because of the unavailability of a key defense witness.

The attorney for Jack Branson, 39, wants Dr. Cynthia Firnhaber to testify that she verbally recommended in 2002 that Branson use medical marijuana. The drug helps Branson deal with nausea and loss of appetite caused by HIV.

But attorney Robert Corry said Wednesday that it's nearly impossible for Firnhaber to come to Colorado since she is working in South Africa fighting AIDS.

"We looked for months, and we were finally able to locate her," Corry told Adams County District Judge C. Scott Crabtree. "It's quite a hardship."

Corry asked that Firnhaber be allowed to testify by telephone. Crabtree set a July 20 hearing to decide and scheduled a Aug. 27 jury trial.

Branson faces charges of cultivation of marijuana and possession of more than 8 ounces of marijuana, both felonies. The Denver Post

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