MAN WHO REPORTED MARIJUANA THEFT

ROANOKE RAPIDS, N.C. -- The Roanoke Rapids man who called 911 to report
someone had stolen his marijuana plants has died, and his family said he
suffered when he could no longer use the marijuana.

Emmit Scott, 61, died Monday at Halifax Regional Medical Center. The
hospital listed the cause of death as natural causes.

His family said he used marijuana to treat a kidney ailment, sometimes
making tea from it.

"After he drank that tea, he felt a whole lot better," said Mary Ashe, who
identified herself only as a relative. "I know it gave him energy, very
much. He did a lot of chores and stuff out in his yard."

Barbara Ashe, who also identified herself as a relative, said Scott did not
sell the marijuana but simply grew it for his own use.

"Since they took that stuff away from Emmit, it should show everybody that
what he said was right," she said. "When he was taking it, Emmit was doing
good."

Scott was charged with one count of manufacturing a controlled substance
and one count of maintaining a dwelling to keep a controlled substance,
both felonies.

He was arrested July 27 after calling police to report that a man had taken
27 marijuana plants from his backyard garden.

Scott, who was on dialysis, told police he had grown marijuana and several
other herbs to use for personal pain relief since 1991. He said he never
sold marijuana and that he didn't know it was illegal to grow it for
personal use.

Scott did not seek charges against the man whom he believed stole the
marijuana plants from his garden.