Pubdate: Thu, 07 Sep 2000
Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB)
Copyright: 2000 Winnipeg Free Press
Contact:  1355 Mountain Avenue, Winnipeg Manitoba R2X 3B6
Fax: (204) 697-7288
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Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/
Author: Mike McIntyre

POT FARMER FIGHTS SENTENCE FOR GROWING 'SOFT DRUG'

Man Argues 7-Year Term More Suitable To Killers, Rapists

A drug case which often resembled a circus rolled back into court yesterday
as a convicted marijuana grower appealed his seven-year prison sentence.

Ronald Hickey, 46, acted as his own lawyer as he pleaded with the Manitoba
Court of Appeal to reduce his penalty on the grounds it was too severe.

The Winnipeg grandfather, who once bragged about being the best pot grower
in Western Canada, believes he was unfairly punished by Queen's Bench
Justice Albert Clearwater because of his unusual antics during his jury
trial.

"I know I was an annoyance. But this is the kind of sentence given for
manslaughters and rapes and all sorts of heinous crimes," said Hickey, whose
movement in the Appeal Court was restricted by shackles around his legs and
two sheriff's officers standing guard. "I think the jury would just feel
terrible to hear I got seven years."

Hickey was greeted by a smattering of applause yesterday from several
die-hard supporters who have followed his case.

He told the Appeal Court that marijuana is a "soft drug," and his prison
sentence doesn't stack up against similar offences. Hickey argued the judge
failed to consider the fact an undercover RCMP agent was used to gather
evidence against him.

"The police orchestrated these events. If that agent had not come to me and
did what she did, that crime would not have happened," said Hickey, who was
convicted of selling the woman four kilograms of pot.

His wife, Gail, was also convicted as part of the drug operation and
received a conditional sentence of two years less a day.

Crown attorney Karen Molle said yesterday Ron Hickey's sentence was proper
considering his two previous drug-related convictions, which landed him a
five-year prison sentence in 1990.

The three-judge panel reserved their decision.

Yesterday's appeal lacked much of the pizzazz that made Hickey's trial the
talk of the downtown Law Courts building last year and had several off-duty
judges and lawyers sitting in the public gallery for a peek.

Hickey opted to represent himself at trial after his lawyer withdrew for
health reasons and returned to his home in Ontario. He repeatedly tried to
stall the case, which was scheduled to last two weeks but ended after nearly
three gruelling months.

At one point, Hickey claimed to be having a heart attack and slumped to the
ground. Paramedics were called and found nothing wrong with him, and the
Crown suggested he was stalling for time so the undercover police agent on
the witness stand would have to come back to testify.

On another occasion, Hickey said he had a broken jaw and needed emergency
surgery. The judge denied his request for an adjournment and urged him to
conserve the use of his mouth.
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