San Diego Mayor Bob Filner took the unusual step this week 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 Monday 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. They