Longtime pot crusader Grant Krieger was jailed Monday for four months on a drug trafficking charge, and he wasn't allowed to take his medicinal marijuana behind bars. Despite a constitutional exemption that allows Krieger to use cannabis to alleviate his multiple sclerosis pain, the judge ruled against the legal right applying in jail, said his lawyer, John Hooker. Krieger was surprised the morning's court appearance ended with his incarceration at the Calgary Remand Centre, his son Ryan Krieger said. [continues 340 words]
Judge Seeks Provisions to Allow Man to Smoke Marijuana in the Joint A city pot crusader and medicinal marijuana user was sentenced yesterday to four months in jail for trafficking, but the ruling judge doesn't want him behind bars until Grant Krieger is allowed to smoke weed while in the joint. Krieger, 52, who has multiple sclerosis, was previously given a constitutional exemption allowing him to smoke marijuana for medicinal purposes, and provincial court Judge William Pepler delayed the start of his sentence until provisions are made so Krieger can light up while serving his time. [continues 392 words]
I am saddened by the turn of events reported in "Krieger off to jail - -- pending pot problem solution." I have met a number of the people Grant helps each day. These people are having a better quality of life due to Grant's huge sacrifices. Many are still alive today all because of Grant giving all he has to help these sick people. When Grant is imprisoned the many sick people he helps will suffer horribly until he is released. Grant will not stop helping the sick while he is a free man. He can't stop helping the sick because he knows all too well what it's like to suffer. Think about what it would be like to have no quality of life until the day you die. Why must we continue to make sick people suffer so horribly when a god-given plant with many proven medical properties can help these same people so much? Keith Fagin (Krieger's mission is honourable.) [end]
There was no joy for medicinal marijuana activist Grant Krieger on Friday when the Crown stayed a trafficking charge dating back to 1999, for which the Supreme Court had granted Krieger a new trial. "That's disappointing," Krieger said when advised the stay was officially entered by Court of Queen's Bench Associate Chief Justice Neil Wittmann at the behest of the federal Crown. "But that's the way the system works. . . . The only way I can get it fixed is in front of a jury, so the jury can nullify this nonsense. [continues 171 words]
CALGARY - Medical marijuana crusader Grant Krieger was sentenced to four months in jail yesterday for mailing two packages of the drug to Manitoba in 2003 and 2004. But Krieger will not go to jail immediately. Provincial court Judge William Pepler delayed Krieger's sentence until the middle of June in order to give corrections officials time to figure out how Krieger, who has multiple sclerosis, will have access to the drug in prison. [end]
CALGARY -- Even after being sentenced to four months in jail, medical marijuana crusader Grant Krieger said Tuesday he will not stop supplying people with the illicit drug. Judge William Pepler said Tuesday he felt he had no option but to jail Krieger, who has a judicial exemption from 2000 to grow and possess the drug to alleviate his multiple sclerosis. The judge, however, was concerned about the Krieger's welfare after he was told corrections authorities will not allow cannabis marijuana into the jail. [continues 78 words]
A judge says he had no choice but to send medicinal marijuana crusader Grant Krieger to jail for drug trafficking, but he wants assurances corrections authorities will uphold Krieger's constitutional exemption to have the drug behind bars to alleviate pain for his multiple sclerosis. Provincial court Judge William Pepler, in an unprecedented ruling, postponed Krieger's four-month incarceration until June 18 or until he receives an answer from corrections officials that they will make provisions to honour another judge's order of seven years ago to allow him access to marijuana. [continues 236 words]
A jury has convicted Kim Joseph Walker of second degree murder, recommending that he be given most lenient sentence possible, but his lawyer plans to appeal the verdict. Justice Jennifer Pritchard accepted their recommendation sentencing the 50-year-old Yorkton man to serve the minimum of 10 years in jail before being eligible for parole. In an interview following the trial defence counsel Morris Bodnar of Saskatoon said he will definitely appeal to the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal. He said the grounds will be "the judge not putting self defence to the jury and not leaving the option of an acquittal." [continues 905 words]
Three months ago, the Supreme Court of Canada issued a ruling underscoring a jury's right to reach the verdict it wants, even if it flies in the face of the facts. The problem wasn't that the high court's decision was confusing and open to misinterpretation. On the contrary, the ruling was crystal clear. Even if the evidence is "overwhelming," a judge can't order a jury to bring back a guilty verdict, the court emphasized. The difficulty, however, was that neither the judge, the defence lawyer nor the Crown in the polarizing Kim Walker murder case knew about the judgment. [continues 531 words]
As the lawyer for Kim Walker prepares to submit an appeal on the Yorkton man's second-degree murder conviction, questions are being raised about jury rights and powers. On Friday, a Yorkton jury found the 50-year-old welder guilty of fatally shooting 24-year-old James Hayward, a convicted drug dealer who had been involved with Walker's then 16-yearold daughter. But even as the jury deliberated, defence lawyer Morris Bodnar raised concerns over the judge's instructions to the jury, in that the instructions excluded the ability to find Walker not guilty. [continues 546 words]
REGINA -- As the lawyer for Kim Walker prepares to submit an appeal on the Yorkton man's second-degree murder conviction, questions are being raised about jury rights and powers. On Friday, a Yorkton jury found the 50-year-old welder guilty of fatally shooting 24-year-old James Hayward, a convicted drug dealer who had been involved with Walker's then 16-yearold daughter. But even as the jury deliberated, defence lawyer Morris Bodnar raised concerns over the judge's instructions to the jury, in that the instructions excluded the ability to find Walker not guilty. [continues 546 words]
No matter which side you come down on in the murder trial of Kim Walker, it's impossible to escape the air of tragedy hanging over the whole affair. Anyone who has raised daughters can sympathize with the man's frustration. To stand idly by while your little girl is destroyed by a drug addict seems like no option at all. At the same time, of course, no one stands above the law. In the final analysis, it doesn't matter what kind of man James Hayward was. Whether he was the devil incarnate or just a nice young lad gone astray, he had a right to his life. [continues 799 words]
Medical marijuana activist Grant Krieger doesn't have a TV or an Internet connection, and he did not follow the recent trial of the Yorkton father who shot his 16-year-old daughter's boyfriend to death almost four years ago. He doesn't know Kim Walker or the facts of the case against him, but he does remember what it's like to stand accused and hear a judge tell jurors to reach a guilty verdict, Krieger said in an interview Friday. [continues 386 words]
Yorkton Man Will Have To Serve 10 Years Before Parole Eligibility; Daughter Callsfather 'A Walkingliving Miracle' YORKTON -- Kim Walker has his daughter's love but he no longer has his freedom. A tearful Jadah Walker said her father will always be her hero after a jury found him guilty Friday of second-degree murder for gunning down her drug-dealer boyfriend, James Hayward, nearly four years ago. After the 50-year-old welder and father of three had been taken into custody by RCMP officers for the first time since being released on bail shortly after the shooting occurred on March 17, 2003, a distraught Jadah said her father had saved her life. [continues 928 words]
Growing pot for medical marijuana crusader Grant Krieger won't mean jail for a former Calgary man, a judge ruled yesterday. Justice Beth Hughes agreed with defence lawyer Adriano Iovinelli that jail time wasn't necessary for Mark James Maki's involvement with the Compassion Club. "Mr. Maki's motivation for these offences, while certainly against the law and misguided, were to assist the Compassion Club and it's members," Hughes said. The 577 plants seized in October 2001 and February 2002 had a value of about $600,000 to $800,000, and a loaded sawed-off shotgun was found in Maki's home. Maki, 43, of Coquitlam, B.C., pleaded guilty to two charges of cultivating marijuana and one of careless storage of a firearm. Hughes placed him in on house arrest for a year, followed by a curfew for another 12 months. [end]
Regardless of Law, Jurors Aren't Likely to Jail Med Weed Users The Supreme Court of Canada ordered a new trial for well-known med-pot activist Grant Krieger last month. Krieger, who has multiple sclerosis, was growing and distributing marijuana solely for medical purposes. He had been convicted of producing by a jury largely because the Alberta trial judge sternly directed the jury that they had no choice but to convict. During deliberations, two jurors asked to be discharged because they could not in good conscience return a verdict of guilty. This is when the judge decided to step in and tell the jurors how to do their jobs. [continues 836 words]
"Hey, any of you guys ever seen government weed?" Well, I've heard a lot of things at middle-aged cocktail parties, but never that. It was a "Yup," he continued, pulling out a tightly rolled joint (a new definition, I suppose, for cancer sticks), "it's 100-per-cent legal, federally approved dope, delivered under seal in a foil pouch. By Purolator." With that, he fired it up. Just because he was at a party didn't mean he could go without his medicine. [continues 589 words]
Although Canadians are hardly trading maple leaves for pot leaves, newly published findings suggest Cheech and Chong would feel right at home here. In a country-wide survey, an overwhelming 93 per cent of Canadians indicated they accept the idea of people legally smoking marijuana for health reasons. Nearly three in four (70 per cent) not only accept the practice but also personally approve of the behaviour. Support for the overall legalization of marijuana is also strong, with almost half of Canucks giving it a hearty thumbs up -- the same percentage of people who, in a 2004 Health Canada sponsored survey were found to have smoked cannabis in their lifetime. [continues 262 words]
B.C. Lead Nation in Acceptance of Medicinal Use In a nationwide survey, an overwhelming 93 per cent of Canadians say they accept the idea of people legally smoking marijuana for health reasons. Seventy per cent not only accept the practice but also personally approve of the behaviour. Support for the overall legalization of marijuana is also strong, with almost half of Canucks giving it a thumbs-up -- the same percentage of people who, in a 2004 Health Canada-sponsored survey, were found to have smoked cannabis in their lifetime. [continues 244 words]
Findings Also Show Almost Half Back Legalization Although Canadians are hardly trading maple leaves for marijuana leaves, newly published findings suggest Cheech and Chong would feel right at home here. In a nationwide survey, 93 per cent of Canadians indicated they accept the idea of people legally smoking marijuana for health reasons. Support for the overall legalization of marijuana is also strong, with almost half of Canadians giving it a hearty thumbs up -- the same percentage of people who, in a 2004 Health Canada sponsored survey were found to have smoked cannabis in their lifetime. [continues 337 words]
