JURY URGED FOR POT FIGHT

Medical use only

Medical marijuana crusader Grant Krieger wants to take his fight to
distribute the drug to sick people before a jury, his lawyer said yesterday.

But Adriano Iovinelli said Krieger's plan could keep his client behind bars
for months and could seriously risk his health.

Iovinelli said the earliest Krieger could expect to get his case before a
jury is in the new year -- much longer than a trial by judge alone which
would take weeks, not months.

"I don't know if he can last five months (in custody)," the lawyer said of
his client, who suffers from multiple sclerosis and says marijuana
alleviates his pain.

"I think there'll be a deterioration of his muscles," said Iovinelli.

"Is it going to be life-threatening? I don't know."

Krieger, 45, faces five charges, including cultivating a narcotic and
possession for the purpose of trafficking in connection with a 29-plant
grow operation.

Iovinelli said he will argue his client and others who use the drug for
medicinal reasons are an identifiable group being discriminated against by
the law.

Krieger was denied bail Friday after he vowed to continue to grow and
distribute marijuana to others who want to use it for medical purposes.

Iovinelli said Krieger has been selling drugs to sick individuals referred
to him by doctors through his involvement with the Universal Compassion Club.

"He has people everywhere from a 65-year-old grandma to people with AIDS
and cancer," the lawyer said.

"This guy's not selling to teenagers, he has nothing to do with the
criminal element associated with a grow operation," he said.

Krieger is back in court this morning to elect how he wishes to be tried.

His lawyer said Krieger may be able to re-open his bail if he agrees not to
distribute pending his trial.