Medical Marijuana Dispensary Operators Convicted as Drug Dealers in Long Beach
Oh boy. There are some unhappy cannabis advocates in the LBC today.
Allison Margolin Counsel fly.
You see, they were watching the case of People vs. Joe Grumbine and Joe Byron with high hopes. And we're not being facetious. The pair of dispensary owners were accused of being run-of-the-mill drug dealers. But their hot, celebrity attorney fought back and got the justice system to accept their "medical marijuana defense."
They're legal purveyors of weed under California's medical marijuana laws, argued Allison Margolin, who claims to be "L.A.'s dopest attorney."
Not so dope, apparently.
And besides, juries are retarded and they'll convict your frigging grandmother of jaywalking even if she didn't have enough time to push her walker across the street on a green light.
Despite Margolin's noble efforts the jury late yesterday decided these two were just drug dealers after all.
Joe Grumbine and Joe Byron were found guilty on all 13 felony counts filed against them. They included drug sales and filing false tax returns as part of their operation of the dispensary, according to the Long Beach Press Telegram.
The jurors' reasoning appears to have gone something like this: Even though the duo was operating a dispensary like many others, California law doesn't really protect you if you're retailing weed and making a profit -- and hiding such profit from Uncle Sam.
That was, at least, part of the argument by prosecutors. Deputy D.A. Jodi Castano told the jury, according to the P-T:
This case is not about whether people have the right to medical marijuana. This case is about two wolves in sheeps' clothing. It's about two men who were out to line their pockets ... with millions of dollars.
More than $2 million, to be exact.
So, as medical pot advocates scream how dare they, remember, California law really just lets you share pot with the "seriously ill." Nothing in there about making millions.
Beware.
Nick Schou, managing editor at our sister publication OC Weekly, covered the trial and has written extensively about the case. Check out his final word here.
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