New Jersey Criminal Defense Blog

A 46-year-old Bayonne firefighter and his 53-year-old wife have been arrested for allegedly operating a marijuana farm and are being held at the Warren County jail on $200,000 bail each, according to an nj.com article. In being charged with running and maintaining a drug manufacturing facility, the New Jersey husband and wife face several harsh penalties, including up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $750,000 for the first-degree drug offense.

In addition, the article also mentions that the couple has been charged with the fourth-degree crime of child neglect relating to their 10-year-old son, the second-degree crime of manufacturing marijuana, the fourth-degree crime of possession of more than 50 grams of marijuana, and the disorderly persons offense of possession of drug paraphernalia (a hypodermic syringe). According to New Jersey law, second-degree offenses may result in a maximum sentence of 10 years in state prison and a maximum fine of $150,000. Fourth-degree crimes have a maximum penalty of 18 months.

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It’s safe to say that “head butting” a co-worker will end a training session pretty quickly. It’s even more plausible that you will be asked to leave your work-related training session for being disruptive. A nj.com report discusses the recent arrest of a 26-year-old Brick man who allegedly threatened his fellow co-workers at an auto warranty processing firm training session, “head-butted” one employee, kicked a police officer, and threatened to kill police while on his way to Ocean County Jail. The man has been charged with multiple offenses, including aggravated assault on a police officer and making terroristic threats. He is being held on $100,000 bail.

As this particular case validates, anything an arrested individual says can and will be used against him or her while being prosecuted or sentenced for a crime. Despite any feelings of confusion, frustration, or anger, a person arrested and charged with a crime in New Jersey should remain silent until they have consulted with a Princeton criminal defense attorney. This man’s situation could have been less complex had he not made any statements regarding “killing other police officers.” However, such statements are typically not enough to convict an arrested individual.

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On January, 18, 2010, Governor Jon Corzine, on his last day in office, signed a measure, the “Compassionate Use Medical Marijuana” law, making New Jersey the 14th state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes. Based on an nj.com article, the marijuana bill (S119) is anticipated to take effect within six months. However, not just anyone is legally permitted to utilize medical marijuana.

According to the report, patients will be able to get a prescription for marijuana if they have the following illnesses: cancer, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, seizure disorder, HIV/AIDS, severe muscle spasms, Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), muscular dystrophy, Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and any terminal illness if a doctor believes the patient has only a year left to live. The new law will allow the state health department to include other illnesses in addition to the above list when it develops rules of implementation for those specific calamities.

A major and important restriction included with the approval of the new law is the ban against individuals growing their own marijuana, even if it is for medical reasons. This is to ensure that marijuana be dispensed through licensed “alternative treatment centers.” Also, designated caretakers for severely ill individuals will be required to have criminal background checks.

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