Pubdate: Sat, 12 Jan 2013
Source: Gazette, The (Colorado Springs, CO)
Copyright: 2013 Joe Uveges
Contact: http://www.gazette.com/sections/opinion/submitletter/
Website: http://www.gazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/165
Author: Joe Uveges
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v13/n015/a07.html

BRINGS TO LIGHT A POWERFUL PROBLEM

I just wanted to take a moment to thank The Gazette for printing the
Jan. 7 story on medical marijuana. I thought the writer (Lance Benzel)
took a risk by including some Elisa Kappelmann quotes that excoriated
District Attorney Dan May's handling of the case, and personally, I
thought they were justified. I am a former Republican precinct chair
who followed the case closely because one of my clients was working in
the field. I watched the District Attorney's office bully and bluff
their way through a case that seemed aimed at ruining a life in order
to frighten the industry.

Thankfully they failed, but it brings to light a powerful problem. At
the end of the day, a powerful DA who takes aim at a common citizen
can literally ruin their lives. There is little joy for Bob Crouse or
Kappelmann after winning their respective medical marijuana cases.
What they are left with is a huge loss of income (Bob lost his house
in the deal) and the weight of a possible jail sentence lifted - all
because they had the audacity to push the DA on an issue that he
clearly has a personal vendetta against. (Witness May's comment about
opening a liquor store.) May has done some good things for El Paso
County. His handling of this issue, however, lacks integrity and
dispassionate reasoned thinking. His errors in judgment have cost this
county's taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars, soon to be
millions if any kind of award is given to marijuana growers whose
product has been damaged.

Fear of the law is a useful tool in keeping citizens on the straight
and narrow. Fear of a "lawyer" who misuses legal power, however, is
bad for all of us. El Paso County deserves better and May certainly
does not deserve the $40,000 a year raise he recently requested.

Joe Uveges

Colorado Springs
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D