T
The420Guy
Guest
The U.S. Attorney's Office will represent at least one of nine police
officers cited for contempt of court for not complying with a Routt
County Court order to return medicinal marijuana to its owner.
The drugs were seized during a search of a Hayden man's home in
mid-October. The case has highlighted a conflict between a
voter-approved state law allowing medicinal use of marijuana and
federal laws that do not permit such marijuana use.
Jeff Dorschner, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office, said his
office represents the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in all court
matters, so would be representing Doug Cortinovis, a DEA special agent
who participated in the search.
The other officers involved were either officers with GRAMNET - the
Grand, Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team - a federal task
force made up of local officers. All the officers cited were directed
to appear in Routt County court at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 2 to show why they
should not be punished for defying the court order.
Dorschner could not confirm which officers other than Cortinovis the
U.S. Attorney would represent because that decision is not yet official.
"It is my understanding that the other officers have requested
representation and there is a special process through the Department
of Justice in Washington to authorize our representation of them, and
that process is ongoing," Dorschner said.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Guerette, who initially represented the
officers, said the 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office is not
involved at this point.
The GRAMNET officers who are cited and who could be represented by the
U.S. Attorney's Office are Dan Kelliher of the Routt County Sheriff's
Office, Dwight Murphy of the Steamboat Springs Police Department, Mike
Lovin of the Grand County Sheriff's Office, Jenny Hoefner of the Craig
Police Department and Todd Reese of the Moffat County Sheriff's Office.
Hayden officers who also received citations are Chief Jody Lenahan, Ed
Corriveau and Darin Falk. Lenahan said that the U.S. Attorney's Office
had offered to represent the Hayden officers, but that they have to go
through their insurance company first to determine whom their lawyers
should be.
Hayden Mayor Chuck Grobe confirmed that the town is working with its
insurance company, and said that he couldn't remember a time in the
past when Hayden officers had been held in contempt of court.
"They got involved (in the search) because it was in our jurisdiction
and GRAMNET just asked for their assistance," Grobe said. "I'm sure
our officers will be exonerated when it's all said and done.
The officers were cited after 2 ounces of usable marijuana and smoking
pipes were not returned to Hayden resident Don Nord, 57, who has a
medicinal marijuana license. The drugs and equipment were ordered to
be returned by a county judge. The equipment was returned in late December.
Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jan 2004
Source: Vail Daily (CO)
Copyright: 2004 Vail Daily
Contact: Miscellaneous ramblings from the games
Website: News
officers cited for contempt of court for not complying with a Routt
County Court order to return medicinal marijuana to its owner.
The drugs were seized during a search of a Hayden man's home in
mid-October. The case has highlighted a conflict between a
voter-approved state law allowing medicinal use of marijuana and
federal laws that do not permit such marijuana use.
Jeff Dorschner, spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney's office, said his
office represents the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in all court
matters, so would be representing Doug Cortinovis, a DEA special agent
who participated in the search.
The other officers involved were either officers with GRAMNET - the
Grand, Routt and Moffat Narcotics Enforcement Team - a federal task
force made up of local officers. All the officers cited were directed
to appear in Routt County court at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 2 to show why they
should not be punished for defying the court order.
Dorschner could not confirm which officers other than Cortinovis the
U.S. Attorney would represent because that decision is not yet official.
"It is my understanding that the other officers have requested
representation and there is a special process through the Department
of Justice in Washington to authorize our representation of them, and
that process is ongoing," Dorschner said.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Guerette, who initially represented the
officers, said the 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office is not
involved at this point.
The GRAMNET officers who are cited and who could be represented by the
U.S. Attorney's Office are Dan Kelliher of the Routt County Sheriff's
Office, Dwight Murphy of the Steamboat Springs Police Department, Mike
Lovin of the Grand County Sheriff's Office, Jenny Hoefner of the Craig
Police Department and Todd Reese of the Moffat County Sheriff's Office.
Hayden officers who also received citations are Chief Jody Lenahan, Ed
Corriveau and Darin Falk. Lenahan said that the U.S. Attorney's Office
had offered to represent the Hayden officers, but that they have to go
through their insurance company first to determine whom their lawyers
should be.
Hayden Mayor Chuck Grobe confirmed that the town is working with its
insurance company, and said that he couldn't remember a time in the
past when Hayden officers had been held in contempt of court.
"They got involved (in the search) because it was in our jurisdiction
and GRAMNET just asked for their assistance," Grobe said. "I'm sure
our officers will be exonerated when it's all said and done.
The officers were cited after 2 ounces of usable marijuana and smoking
pipes were not returned to Hayden resident Don Nord, 57, who has a
medicinal marijuana license. The drugs and equipment were ordered to
be returned by a county judge. The equipment was returned in late December.
Pubdate: Sun, 18 Jan 2004
Source: Vail Daily (CO)
Copyright: 2004 Vail Daily
Contact: Miscellaneous ramblings from the games
Website: News
