Former Medical Marijuana Provider In Montana Can't Use Entrapment As A Defense Against Federal Charges

(420Times) A former medical marijuana provider who goes to trial Monday over charges stemming from last year’s federal crackdown will not be allowed to claim that government officials entrapped him by making statements that led him to believe he would not be prosecuted.

Jurors will also be told to ignore any mention of Montana’s medical marijuana law. U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen’s jury instructions say state laws are irrelevant to the federal charges against Chris Williams, a co-owner of the now-defunct Montana Cannabis.

The bans are a blow to Williams, who is charged with multiple drug manufacturing, trafficking and weapons counts. He is the only medical marijuana provider to stand trial among the dozens whose businesses, houses and warehouses were raided in the March 2011 crackdown of the state’s large pot operators.