Man face 35 years in prison for 15 pot plants (1 Viewer)

[Sheriff Bart]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

First, 30 pounds from 15 plants? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

 

[sublimeone]

how much jail time do you think is appropriate?

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Damn hippies are ruining this country.

 

[Socrates11]

how much jail time do you think is appropriate?

For weed? 0 days.

 

[Guest]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

First, 30 pounds from 15 plants? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Can I agree with you about the law and sentence, but also think he was growing for more than his wife's personal consumption?

 

[johnnycakes]

No way an indoor grow gives you 2 lbs usable weed per plant. And 15 plants is totally reasonable for one patient if you're growing your own stuff. A commercial caregiver will be more efficient, but your average home grower learning as he goes? Yield really is going to be poor at first. Quality may not be that great, either. If they didn't find any scales or packaging equipment, there's no way they were distributing from their home grow setup. What's interesting is the DA was able to convince a jury of 12 they were distributing... considering how I had 14 plants going at once (8 indoor; 6 outdoor) until recently when I harvested the indoor ones, and I know I don't sell to anyone else, i hope there's more to the story because on the face of it, it's clear to me they were growing for their own use and no one else's.

 

[coyote5]

No way an indoor grow gives you 2 lbs usable weed per plant. And 15 plants is totally reasonable for one patient if you're growing your own stuff. A commercial caregiver will be more efficient, but your average home grower learning as he goes? Yield really is going to be poor at first. Quality may not be that great, either. If they didn't find any scales or packaging equipment, there's no way they were distributing from their home grow setup. What's interesting is the DA was able to convince a jury of 12 they were distributing... considering how I had 14 plants going at once (8 indoor; 6 outdoor) until recently when I harvested the indoor ones, and I know I don't sell to anyone else, i hope there's more to the story because on the face of it, it's clear to me they were growing for their own use and no one else's.

Perhaps you could testify on the defendant's behalf as an expert witness?

 

[Sheriff Bart]

how much jail time do you think is appropriate?

0 days plus a kick to the groin for the DA and each of the juror's.

 

[NCCommish]

I have some experience growing in a small space. No he couldn't produce 30 lbs of bud. But they weigh everything including the roots to get their total. And no it wasn't worth 90k either. Still 15 is more than personal use. 4 would be plenty for personal.

While that sentence is ridiculous he knew the risk. I stopped because I decided the risk wasn't worth it. He decided it was.

 

[sublimeone]

how much jail time do you think is appropriate?

0 days plus a kick to the groin for the DA and each of the juror's.

Should there be any punishment whatsoever?

 

[fatguyinalittlecoat]

how much jail time do you think is appropriate?

0 days plus a kick to the groin for the DA and each of the juror's.

Should there be any punishment whatsoever?

He should be forced to share his weed with everyone in the class.

 

[Hawks64]

how much jail time do you think is appropriate?

None. It's pot FFS.

 

[Sheriff Bart]

I have some experience growing in a small space. No he couldn't produce 30 lbs of bud. But they weigh everything including the roots to get their total. And no it wasn't worth 90k either. Still 15 is more than personal use. 4 would be plenty for personal.

While that sentence is ridiculous he knew the risk. I stopped because I decided the risk wasn't worth it. He decided it was.

I bet part of the risk he thought he was taking wasn't that he would get a DA that would blatantly lie about what he was prosecuted for.

 

[fantasycurse42]

Growing/cultivating weed carries penalties worse than a lot of violent crimes, pretty ridiculous.

 

[jonessed]

Seems like if this was the whole story a jury conviction would have been very difficult.

 

[eoMMan]

Maybe he had prior convictions?

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

When they weigh home grown marijuana plants to they include the pot and potting soil too? These things?

 

[Sheriff Bart]

Already convicted felon beats, robs elderly couple. 12 years.

 

[dickey moe]

30 lbs of weed from 15 plants. Dude's the best botanist ever.

 

[roadkill1292]

Already convicted felon beats, robs elderly couple. 12 years.

Connection?

 

[SWC]

whatever brohans just wait first they will say ok grow some weed and then next thing you know people are growing meth plants and rows of exctacy and then what huh then what yeah thats what i thought take that to the bank brohans

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces.

Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

 

[Guest]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces.

Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

2 lbs per plant for an indoor/bedroom grow?

 

[Sheriff Bart]

Already convicted felon beats, robs elderly couple. 12 years.

Connection?

Same county.

 

[Sheriff Bart]

Maybe he had prior convictions?

Doesn't look like it.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces.

Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

2 lbs per plant for an indoor/bedroom grow?

2 pounds per plant from a sophisticated grower and operation. Sure lots of growers use lights, but the fact that this guy had a ventilation system to regulate smell and carbon dioxide levels tells me he had a level of sophistication.

I note that in Colorado, the jurisdiction with which I am most familiar, and where I wrote the regs., patients or their caregivers are allowed 6 plants per patient, and the presumption is that these will be unsophisticated growers. Our commercial growers routinely hit right around 2 pounds per plant. This is not yours, or mine, unsophisticated closet grower with a plant light or two and ####ty strains from the 70's. these are hybrids specifically designed to flourish under proper grow conditions.

 

[SWC]

Already convicted felon beats, robs elderly couple. 12 years.

Connection?

Same county.

of course it was we all live in america and if you do not like it there is the door take that to the proud to be a bromerican bank bromigos

 

[NCCommish]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I never got anything like that and I had a nice setup.

 

[Henry Ford]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I think you're thinking of 2-3 ounces, not 2-3 lbs.

 

[NCCommish]

I have some experience growing in a small space. No he couldn't produce 30 lbs of bud. But they weigh everything including the roots to get their total. And no it wasn't worth 90k either. Still 15 is more than personal use. 4 would be plenty for personal.

While that sentence is ridiculous he knew the risk. I stopped because I decided the risk wasn't worth it. He decided it was.

I bet part of the risk he thought he was taking wasn't that he would get a DA that would blatantly lie about what he was prosecuted for.

Well he should've because that's what too many do.

 

[Henry Ford]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

2 lbs per plant for an indoor/bedroom grow?

2 pounds per plant from a sophisticated grower and operation. Sure lots of growers use lights, but the fact that this guy had a ventilation system to regulate smell and carbon dioxide levels tells me he had a level of sophistication.I note that in Colorado, the jurisdiction with which I am most familiar, and where I wrote the regs., patients or their caregivers are allowed 6 plants per patient, and the presumption is that these will be unsophisticated growers. Our commercial growers routinely hit right around 2 pounds per plant. This is not yours, or mine, unsophisticated closet grower with a plant light or two and ####ty strains from the 70's. these are hybrids specifically designed to flourish under proper grow conditions.

If your commercial growers are getting 2 pounds per plant, they're amazing. A 7-foot high plant that yeilds 1.5 pounds is a fantastic yield for a commercial grower

 

[Henry Ford]

Wait are we talking wet weight or sales weight?

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I never got anything like that and I had a nice setup.

And how long ago where you attempting this? even 10 years ago those yields would have been unrealistic. Now they are more or less the projected norm and the industry agrees with those projections. (Absent fungus which can devastate a crop rather quickly, as well as all the grow medium it is planted in.)

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I think you're thinking of 2-3 ounces, not 2-3 lbs.

Nope.

 

[Cjw_55106]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

First, 30 pounds from 15 plants? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

FWIW, he hasnt gotten any time yet and Id be surprised if it came out anywhere near 35 years.

 

[NCCommish]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I never got anything like that and I had a nice setup.

And how long ago where you attempting this? even 10 years ago those yields would have been unrealistic. Now they are more or less the projected norm and the industry agrees with those projections. (Absent fungus which can devastate a crop rather quickly, as well as all the grow medium it is planted in.)

Yeah fungus sucks. But I had ventilation, I had CO2, I even had a setup to keep the smell down. So it was pretty much top of the line bedroom grow. Further the rule of thumb amongst growers is 1 gram per watt of light, then you have to figure out the size of the grow area and then we get to the nutrients. So saying sn average plant produces x amount is a bit misleading in my experience.

 

[Ditkaless Wonders]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I never got anything like that and I had a nice setup.

And how long ago where you attempting this? even 10 years ago those yields would have been unrealistic. Now they are more or less the projected norm and the industry agrees with those projections. (Absent fungus which can devastate a crop rather quickly, as well as all the grow medium it is planted in.)

Yeah fungus sucks. But I had ventilation, I had CO2, I even had a setup to keep the smell down. So it was pretty much top of the line bedroom grow. Further the rule of thumb amongst growers is 1 gram per watt of light, then you have to figure out the size of the grow area and then we get to the nutrients. So saying sn average plant produces x amount is a bit misleading in my experience.

Sounds like you knew what you where doing. I think a lot of home growers make their mistake with heat and humidity. As I understand it one is shooting for 72 degrees during the night cycle and 78 during the daylight with a pretty constant 50% humidity.

Now growing is not my thing, though I did take a stab at it, as most stoners did, back in the 70's. My production was terrible both in yield and quality. From writing regulations out here I have been to a few seminars and multiple commercial grows, and the expertise is changing the industry on almost a monthly basis. I would have been well advised to quit the law and to get into the industry. Now the opportunities are closing, but for a bit there was quite a window. There was, and to an extent remains, quite a bit of opportunity in teaching the law to growers and sellers.

 

[NCCommish]

MIAMI (Reuters) - A Miami jury convicted a man who faces up to 35 years in prison for growing marijuana in a bedroom of his house in what he says was an act of love to help his wife who is recovering from breast cancer, local media reported.

Ricardo Varona, 43, was arrested in July 2014 and charged with marijuana trafficking after police said they seized 15 live marijuana plants that could have produced more than 30 pounds of usable weed.

In closing arguments on Friday, Varona's lawyer, Jose Aguirre, told jurors in Miami state court that detectives did not find any money ledgers, drug scales or packaging equipment at Varona's house that would show he was selling pot for money.

"They want you to believe he is Pablo Escobar and Walter White," Aguirre said, referring to the deceased Colombian cocaine baron and the drug dealing protagonist of the TV series "Breaking Bad."

"All he was trying to do was give his wife the medicine she needs."

Prosecutors also failed to prove the actual weight of the plants, Aguirre added.

Prosecutors said Varona had set up lights to mimic the sun, air filters to mask the pungent odor, and fans to cool the operation, local media reported. The size of it was far more than could ever be consumed by one person, they argued, estimating the plants' value at $90,000.

"He was helping out his wife and he was helping out his wallet," said prosecutor David Emas.

Florida last year legalized a low-potency strain of medical marijuana to treat severe epilepsy though it has yet to select approved state growers. A petition is being organized to widen medical marijuana usage in the state.

Aguirre said his client faced a maximum of 35 years in prison if found guilty.

More than 20 states have passed laws legalizing medical marijuana in recent years, while a handful of others such as Colorado also allow recreational use of the drug.

Maria Varona told jurors during the trial she has to make the costly trip to Colorado to get marijuana edibles and pills.

Although her cancer is in remission, she continues to require cannabis edibles due to the prevalence of the disease in her family, she told the court.

The prosecutor accused Varona's wife of lying on the stand. "She is covering up for her husband," he said. "Who can blame her?"

link

? Oh okay. Pretty sure you can assault, rob, rape or shoot somebody and get less time. Neat laws Merica'.

Pretty standard yield if he is an experienced grower. Also he should be able to turn that over 3 times a year. 90 pounds of pot is 1440 ounces. a normal medical user goes through around 1/4 an ounce a week or something less than 13 ounces in a year. One wonders what he intended for the other 1427 ounces. Now in the end I don't care. I advocated legalization and I wrote the regs. for it, but this defendant and his attorney insulted the hell out of the trier of fact. That Is never a good thing.

I never got anything like that and I had a nice setup.

And how long ago where you attempting this? even 10 years ago those yields would have been unrealistic. Now they are more or less the projected norm and the industry agrees with those projections. (Absent fungus which can devastate a crop rather quickly, as well as all the grow medium it is planted in.)

Yeah fungus sucks. But I had ventilation, I had CO2, I even had a setup to keep the smell down. So it was pretty much top of the line bedroom grow. Further the rule of thumb amongst growers is 1 gram per watt of light, then you have to figure out the size of the grow area and then we get to the nutrients. So saying sn average plant produces x amount is a bit misleading in my experience.

Sounds like you knew what you where doing. I think a lot of home growers make their mistake with heat and humidity. As I understand it one is shooting for 72 degrees during the night cycle and 78 during the daylight with a pretty constant 50% humidity. Now growing is not my thing, though I did take a stab at it, as most stoners did, back in the 70's. My production was terrible both in yield and quality. From writing regulations out here I have been to a few seminars and multiple commercial grows, and the expertise is changing the industry on almost a monthly basis. I would have been well advised to quit the law and to get into the industry. Now the opportunities are closing, but for a bit there was quite a window. There was, and to an extent remains, quite a bit of opportunity in teaching the law to growers and sellers.

Yeah I actually got a lot of advice from someone with a very big op. He gave me the seeds and helped me setup. Temp/humidity is definitely important. The only yields I have heard of going over a pound per plant were outdoor and 2 lbs per plant even outdoors would be spectacular in my experience. Now maybe they were multiplying by alleged number of harvests off one plant but again in my experience the plants produce less each time you cycle them.

And yeah it seems like lots of lawyer work available in the field.