Pubdate: Tue, 21 May 2013 Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA) Copyright: 2013 Union-Tribune Publishing Co. Contact: http://www.utsandiego.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/386 Note: Seldom prints LTEs from outside it's circulation area. Author: Greg Moran FILNER SPEAKS OUT FOR EX-OWNER OF POT SHOPS SAN DIEGO - San Diego Mayor Bob Filner took the unusual step Monday of injecting himself into a federal criminal prosecution, encouraging jurors to find the former owner of medical marijuana dispensaries not guilty of drug charges if they believe prosecuting such cases is unjust. Filner, a supporter of medical marijuana use who wants the city to adopt regulations allowing outlets to provide the drug, spoke at a news conference outside the federal court following a hearing in the case prosecutors have brought against Ronnie Chang. Chang faces 60 charges, including conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana and money laundering, stemming from two medical marijuana dispensaries he owned in San Marcos and Wildomar. He has pleaded not guilty. His lawyers have argued his prosecution is unjust because Chang was complying fully with California law, which allows medicinal use of marijuana. While state law allows medical use of the drug in certain circumstances, it is illegal under federal law. In a statement released through Americans for Safe Access, a medical marijuana advocacy group, Filner endorsed a controversial legal concept called jury nullification. This occurs when a jury acquits someone of the charges against them, even if they believe the person to be guilty, if they disagree with the law that the defendant is charged with. Chang is not scheduled to got to trial until November. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom