AUBURN POT CASE RETRIAL SET

A new starting date was established Monday for the medical marijuana
retrial of dentist Michael A. Baldwin and his wife, Georgia.

Placer County Superior Court Judge James L. Roeder ordered both sides to be
prepared to argue pretrial motions March 26 and start jury selection the
next day.

A jury deadlocked when the Baldwins were tried in May 1999 on charges of
possession of marijuana for sale, 6-6 for Michael's and 7-5 for Georgia's
acquittal.

Both had physicians' recommendations for the use of marijuana to treat
ailments, but the prosecution alleged their garden of 146 plants was too large.

The new trial for the Baldwins comes in the wake of last month's mistrial
on an 11-1 vote for acquittal of both defendants in the high-profile case
of Steve Kubby and his wife.