Terminal Cancer Patient Rushed To Hospital During Felony Trial For Medical Pot

[marmar]

from HuffPost:



A 48-year-old terminal cancer patient was rushed to the hospital from an Iowa courthouse Monday during his trial over felony charges for growing marijuana he uses as a treatment for his rare condition.

Brian Wellner of Iowa's Quad-City Times' first reported that paramedics took Benton Mackenzie, who was expected to take the stand in his trial in Scott County District Court on Monday, from the courtroom to a local hospital after he complained of extreme pain and hallucinations related to his angiosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer of the blood vessels which has produced large lesions on Mackenzie's skin.

Despite Mackenzie's deteriorating condition, his trial is expected to be completed Friday, Linda Bowman, the judicial trial court supervisor at the Scott County Clerk's Office, told The Huffington Post. If Mackenzie is found guilty, he faces at least three years in prison -- a punishment that he's said equates to a death sentence.

"If I'm found guilty at all, I'm a dead man," Mackenzie told Quad-City in May. ...................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/07/07/benton-mackenzie-marijuana_n_5564552.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000013

[Anansi1171]

1. Such a sick cruel society. We all deserve extinction imho. -nt

[herding cats]

2. This part makes no sense to me.

District Court Judge Henry Latham ruled in May that Mackenzie is barred from using his condition as a defense in court during his trial as a reason for why he was growing marijuana, the Associated Press reported.

“I’m not allowed to give proof why I was using,” Mackenzie told the Quad-City Times. “Now, there is no fair trial."

He can't even explain why he made the choices he made leading up to his arrest? That's totally messed the hell up!

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. That is the norm in the federal courts. It is a stupidly cruel injustice.

Eric Holder should tell that asshole federal prosecutor to knock it off.

[kcr]

6. The typical war on drugs bullshit is bad enough, but that is heinous.

That was a decision designed to manipulate the outcome.

[NV Whino]

3. I despair of humanity sometimes.

No, make that frequently. The irony is, he may get the treatment he needs in prison.

[eppur_se_muova]

5. Is the point of this proceeding to cause as much suffering as possible ?

It's hard to see any other explanation. Right-wing "justice" in action.

[BobbyBoring]

7. Sick

I'm ashamed to live in this country at times. This guy is suffering enough!