TRIAL DELAYED AFTER OFFICER LOSES NOTES

A trial for a Winnipeg medical marijuana crusader was delayed
yesterday because one of the police officers involved in the August
2002 investigation can't find his notes.

Crown attorney Ian Mahon said extensive efforts to locate the missing
documents have failed -- a result which may prompt a defence motion to
stay proceedings.

"The notebook itself, an entire year of notes, is gone," Mahon told
Queen's Bench Justice Alan MacInnes yesterday morning. "The officer
has been searching for the notes and will make other inquiries to try
and locate them."

The case is set to resume tomorrow morning, at which time defence
lawyer Bonnie Macdonald said a motion may be filed to have the case
against her client thrown out of court.

There was no indication yesterday if other cases could be threatened
by the missing notebook.

"Why is it notes are just being looked for now? (The trial) isn't a
surprise. We've only been talking about this case for years," said
MacInnes. Chris Buors, 46, is accused of cultivation and possession of
marijuana for the purpose of trafficking following a bizarre incident
which began when he was the victim of a home invasion.

Three crowbar-wielding masked men broke into his North End home and
stole electronics. Buors wasn't hurt in the incident, which was
reported to police by a neighbour who heard breaking glass.

Investigators turned around and charged Buors after they allegedly
seized 26 marijuana plants and hydroponic equipment valued at $2,500
from his home.

Buors was the founder of the city's first club for medicinal
marijuana, called the Compassion Club.

It is one of about a dozen such clubs across the country where people
buy discounted marijuana for medical use.

If his case goes to trial, Buors plans to call club members to testify
on the grounds they buy marijuana from him to ease their pain.