Court: No new trial for Calif. convicted killer
The News Review:
- Court: No new trial for Calif. convicted killer
- Western MA city votes to toughen marijuana fines
- Editorial: Medical marijuana
- Suspected drunk driver rams home exposes pot farm
Court: No new trial for Calif. convicted killer
The Associated Press
Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco that said the lawyer was so ineffective that Mirzayance’s first-degree murder conviction could not stand. Mirzayance was convicted of fatally shooting and stabbing his 19-year-old cousin Melanie okhtens in her family’s home in 1995. He told police that he killed her because she had “pissed him off” and he had smoked marijuana. A urine test however showed no marijuana in his system. A jury convicted Mirzayance of first-degree murder although his lawyer had sought lesser charges. Mirzayance was sentenced to a prison term of 29 years to life. California uses a two-phase trial with insanity pleas first determining guilt and then the viability of the insanity defense.
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Western MA city votes to toughen marijuana fines
Boston Herald
The city council in the state’s third-largest city voted 9-0 on Monday to add $100-$300 to the state penalties for using marijuana in a park or other public place. Question Two passed.
Editorial: Medical marijuana
Philadelphia Inquirer
place_ad_here(“half”); Posted on Tue Mar. 24 2009 Editorial: Medical marijuanaThe time to act is now New Jersey and Pennsylvania should join 13 other states in finally legalizing medical marijuana to allow seriously ill patients to potentially benefit from its use. After years of debate the movement got a big boost in Trenton last month when the state Senate approved a bill that would allow medical use of marijuana. It is the first time such legislation has emerged from committee. A full vote is still needed by the Assembly but Gov. Corzine has said he would sign the bill.
Suspected drunk driver rams home exposes pot farm
The Associated Press
San Diego police got a search warrant after the Sunday afternoon crash and confiscated more than 20 pot plants from the house. David Jennings said no one was inside the house and neighbors told officers the residents were gone on a ski trip. No one was injured in the crash.