DOCTOR'S OK DOESN'T PREVENT POT BUST

A decorated Marine approved by the state to use marijuana for medical
purposes is fighting to get back the dozens of marijuana plants seized
from his basement by Aurora police in April.

"I felt that I didn't do anything wrong," said Kevin Dickes, 38, of
Aurora.

Dickes, who was wounded by a grenade in Kuwait in February 1991, was
arrested April 27 for cultivation of marijuana, a felony that could
send him to prison for six years. He was in court Thursday trying to
get the case dismissed based on the medical marijuana exception in the
state constitution, which was passed by voters in 2000.

"This is a waste of taxpayers' time," said Dickes' attorney, Robert
Corry Jr. "The voters of Colorado said medical marijuana is legal."

According to police, 71 marijuana plants were seized from -Dickes'
basement. At the time, officers reported that Dickes "knew he had
cultivated too many marijuana plants" and that he told them he
"enjoyed growing the marijuana plants."

On Feb. 2, 1991, he was with a unit that was escorting prisoners of
war in Kuwait when a grenade went off, killing three of his comrades
and injuring Dickes.

In January, he started using marijuana and in March, he got his doctor
to sign off on the use of pot and obtained a medical marijuana
registry card from the state after paying the $110 fee. He also
started growing marijuana plants in his basement, using
hydroponics.

On April 27, he said he was working at his computer when Aurora SWAT
members burst into his home. Dickes said the officers left him six
marijuana plants but they all died while he spent six hours in jail.