http://www.msnbc.com/local/KNBC/9808.asp

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 13 Proclaiming his innocence, the man arrested for
allegedly growing thousands of illegal marijuana plants in a Bel Air
mansion was released from federal custody early Wednesday morning.

Todd McCormick had been in jail for the past two weeks after police
found 4,000 pot plants at his rented home on Stone Canyon.

McCormick, who claims he smokes the weed to battle the effects of a
rare form of cancer, said he wants his case to turn the national spotlight
on legal uses of marijuana.
"I am not a criminal," he said. "I don't have any criminal intent. I
was trying to avoid a black market, an illicit market ..."
McCormick said marijuana growing was "something people should be
allowed to do. I don't think the government has any right to prohibit ...
something that is as natural as a seedbearing plant."
McCormick added that he was growing so many plants because the summer
time is the only chance he gets to grow the drug.

Actor Woody Harrelson, through a third party posted his $500,000
bail. McCormick, on leaving federal lockup this morning, confirmed
Harrelson was the one to provide the bail money. Prosecutors
initially demanded to speak to Harrelson, who is on location in
Australia, via video conference to confirm he is the money man, and
to inform the actor what posting bail for McCormick entails. If
McCormick, who lived in Europe for a year, leaves the country or is
caught smoking marijuana, the entire bail is forfeited. McCormick
also will have to take periodic drug tests pending his trial, said
his attorney, Joel Issacman.