Pubdate: Sat, 07 Nov 2015
Source: Orange County Register, The (CA)
Copyright: 2015 The Orange County Register
Contact:  http://www.ocregister.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/321
Author: Scott Schwebke

SKY HIGH MARIJUANA DISPENSARY DEFIES SANTA ANA OFFICIALS AND REOPENS

SANTA ANA - Defying Santa Ana authorities, an embattled medical 
marijuana dispensary reopened for the first time Friday since being 
searched by police and ordered closed more than a week ago.

Volunteers at Sky High Collective on West 17th Street used a key 
provided by the building's land lord, unlocked the front door and 
entered the darkened dispensary around 10 a.m.

A quick inspection revealed that police, during the execution of a 
search warrant on Oct. 26, took most of Sky High's pot products but 
left tips and several personal computers belonging to workers, said 
volunteer 54-year-old Marla James.

James was hopeful Sky High would be restocked with merchandise 
allowing it begin serving clients. "We want to be able to give them 
their medication," she said.

Santa Ana police went to Sky High around noon Friday and stayed for 
about 30 minutes before leaving without removing any items from the dispensary.

Sky High could face more legal action, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna, a 
spokesman for the Santa Ana Police Department, said Friday.

"If Sky High reopens without a proper business license, it's subject 
to further enforcement," he said. "They are not one of the 20 
approved dispensaries."

Santa Ana voters approved Measure BB last year, which enables the 
city to allow and regulate medical marijuana dispensaries. The city 
had a lottery to select 20 dispensary operators. Sky High was not 
among those chosen.

Sky High has been the focus of legal action from the city four times 
in the past five months. The most controversial incident occurred May 
26, when several officers brandishing firearms, some wearing masks, 
stormed the dispensary.

During the raid, officers removed several video surveillance cameras 
but failed to find one that later recorded them purportedly eating 
pot edibles and making derogatory remarks about James, who is an 
amputee and uses a wheelchair.

Santa Ana police have launched an internal affairs investigation into 
the actions of three officers who participated in the raid and put 
them on administrative leave.

In August, the officers involved in the raid filed a temporary 
restraining order against the Santa Ana Police Department to prevent 
internal affairs investigators from using the video because they 
maintained they were filmed without permission.

However, Orange County Superior Court Judge Ronald L. Bauer rejected 
the restraining order, stating that officers did not have a 
reasonable privacy expectation since they were on duty at the time.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom