Wellington Man Suing Larimer Sheriff For Destroyed Medical Marijuana Plants

Lots of news has been pouring out about the recent Amendment 64 being passed back in November making recreational use of medical marijuana legal in Colorado. Now a man in Wellington is suing the Larimer County Sheriff for destroying his medical marijuana.

34 year-old Kaleb Young was growing medical marijuana in his Wellington home when officers issued a warrant to search his home. Young had been legally growing the marijuana according to the Colorado medical marijuana laws and had presented the officers with all of the necessary paperwork authorizing him to to so.

Young was arrested on possesion, and intent to distribute charges. All of his medical marijuana, plants, and growing equipment were seized and destroyed. Rob Corry, Youngs lawyer, stated that “Typically, the agency will preserve the plants as they’re required to do under the Constitution,” Corry said. “Here, they just straight-up cut them down and destroyed them.”

Young was acquitted of all charges in November of 2011.

Young is now seeking $5,000 a plant which in total would add up to $210,000 in damages and destroyed marijuana plants. A number which law enforcers have testified the values.

According to Corry, in these type cases the officers typically leave the plants exactly where they were being grown and where the warrant was issued. The lawsuit follows the Colorado Constitution which states that when medical marijuana is seized by government authorities it must be returned after charges are acquitted.