FORT COLLINS COUPLE GETS MARIJUANA PLANTS BACK, BUT THEY'RE DEAD

After a prolonged legal battle, a Fort Collins couple today finally
retrieved the medical marijuana seized from their home in August
2006, but the plants were dead.

The cultivation and possession charges against James and Lisa
Masters, medical marijuana patients and caregivers for other
patients, were dropped in June but it wasn't until late last month
that a judge ruled that police had to return the property.

James Masters said he was "very, very happy to see this come to
fruition," but that he was sad to see the plants had not been maintained.

"This is a resounding, decisive victory for Colorado voters,
compassion and medical marijuana," said Brian Vicente, one of the
attorneys who represented the couple throughout the case.

The charges were dropped after the judge ruled that the search
warrant used to seize the plants, growing equipment and
paraphernalia resulted from an illegal search.

But none of the plants seized, including about 15 that were nearly
ready for harvest, survived. The Masters' attorneys plan to go back
to the judge later this month and request financial compensation for
the destroyed plants, which could be valued at more than $100,000.