PROSECUTOR ASKS JUDGE TO LIMIT COURT FILINGS BY MEDICAL-MARIJUANA
ADVOCATES IN CONTROVERSIAL CASE IN GRAND RAPIDS

GRAND RAPIDS - A federal prosecutor said today that two
medical-marijuana advocacy groups should not be allowed to file
briefs in a case in which the federal government is seeking
state-held medical-marijuana records.

Michigan Association of Compassion Clubs first filed paperwork asking
to intervene in the case, which delayed an effort to enforce a Drug
Enforcement Administration subpoena for records of seven people on
the registry who are under investigation in a drug case. Cannabis
Patients United and Americans for Safe Access have since asked to be
allowed to file briefs to argue against the federal government
obtaining medical-marijuana information.

The agencies said they acted after state Attorney General Bill
Schuette, an opponent of medical-marijuana, said the state would hand
over records upon a judge's order.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Bruha, in a five-page brief filed today,
said the three organizations essentially make the same arguments. He
said that the law requires a judge to determine if information
offered by non-parties is "'timely, useful or otherwise necessary to
the administration of justice.'"

"Here, CPU is urging the court to 'stay the proceedings and allow a
full opportunity for the controversies at issue in this case to be
addressed,'" Bruha said. "In addition to further delaying this
proceeding, that would encourage even more intervenors ... . This
proceeding has already been unduly delayed as it is."

A hearing is Tuesday in U.S. District Court.