LANSING MARIJUANA DISPENSARY OWNER ACQUITTED

LANSING -- A Lansing medical marijuana dispensary owner this morning
was acquitted of a misdemeanor charge of offering free marijuana
products in exchange for registering to vote.

A six-member jury found Shekina Pena, owner of Your Healthy Choice
Clinic, not guilty of influencing voters with money or other valuable
consideration, a violation of Michigan election law.

The state attorney general's office charged Pena, 34, after a posting
turned up in July 2011 on the dispensary's website offering a free
half-gram of marijuana or edible marijuana product in exchange for
registering to vote.

The names of Lansing City Council candidates Your Healthy Choice
supported were printed below the posting. Prosecutors said Pena
intentionally offered the products to influence voters toward
preferred candidates.

Pena's attorney, Matt Newburg, said jurors deliberated for nearly two
hours over two days.

"The jury got it right," he said. "She maintained her innocence
throughout this process. She was not influencing individuals' votes."

Prosecutors were not immediately available for comment.