This article was originally published on the Marijuana Patients Organization site on June 16, 2012.
This morning I awoke to a medical marijuana story from Clare county involving another medical marijuana dispensary raid. While the fact that another illegal raid occurred, the disturbing part was the media coverage of the situation. Whether the reporter was bias herself, inept or ignorant of the law, her reporting was irresponsible and damaging. Our media has a responsibility to report the truth even when they may not agree with the story.
The bias article in The Morning Sun (read here>>) took quotes from one Detective with the Sheriffs office, who’s published comments were never verified by the journalist or the editors of The Morning Sun. Detective Coon states that the Supreme Court ruled against sales of marijuana giving reason for the arrest. The simple fact is, the high court did just the opposite and reveresed decisions that stated the sale of marijuana was illegal. The Supreme Court’s stance was, sales of medical marijuana are LEGAL.
The Sherriff’s department logo, the article’s only image, serves as a reminder to us “stupid” readers as to who is in charge. In fact, Detective Coon was the only person quoted, the only person interviewed and apparently served as the only fact checker on this story. With so many budget cuts in the newspaper industry, maybe the paper will call on the Sheriff’s office to pen the next story themselves.
While illegal activity may have in fact occurred at this location, half truth and bias reporting like Susan Field only lessens confidence in our law enforcement and serves as an excellent resume builder for this reporter and her potential future with the Murdoch news empire.
Law enforcement does not get to “define the situation”, they cannot comment on the law, the meaning of the law or their interpretation of the law.
“Just the facts mam”.
The Morning Sun article
A Clare County couple was charged Friday in 80th District Court with selling medical marijuana illegally.
Don and Billie Jo Hogan of Harrison were both charged with delivery/manufacture of marijuana and conspiracy to deliver/manufactuer marijuana.
Both were charged by Prosecutor Michelle Ambrozaitis after she served a cease and desist order on their business, the Mid-Michigan Care GIver’s Club, roughly two months ago.
The couple are accused of continuing to sell medical marijuana after the cease and desist order was served.
Their arrests on Thursday came after a lengthy investigation by the Clare County Sheriff’s Department followingt several complaints that the two were selling medical marijuana in a storefront, Detective Sgt. Mike Coon said.
Michigan Supreme Court justices eariler this year ruled that the sale of medical marijuana is illegal and that caregivers can be compensated by taking donations but not sell the drug, Coon said.
In addition to selling the drug to patients, the couple is accused of selling marijuana to people who were not patients, Coon said.
Coon began investigating the two after receiving several complaints about Mid-Michigan Care Givers Club selling the drug at a business in Hayes Township.
Continued investigation and surveillance led detectives to witnesses, and police gathered information and served two search warrants on the business and a home in Hayes Township, Coon said.
A “large amount” of marijuana, money and a car were taken, Coon said.Don Hogan is in the Clare County Jail in lieu of $3,500 bond; Billie Jo is jailed in lieu of $3,000 bond, according to court records.
(Susan Field can be reached at sfield@michigannewspapers.com or follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/#!/susan.k.field).