SPRINGFIELD, MO – You can’t stop this train! A marijuana reform alliance won a huge victory against the City of Springfield in Missouri last week. The conflict began back in 2012, when two marijuana reform groups started a petition to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana. Show-Me Cannabis and the American Victory Coalition introduced the ballot funded by Springfield citizens, who were hoping to see marijuana reform in the November 2012 election.
The Springfield City Council attempted to undermine this constitutional effort by keeping the issue from going to a vote. Instead, they passed the measure themselves so that they could immediately repeal it.
Joseph “Chip” Sheppard, an attorney for the pro-reform coalition, called the tactic a “callous and reckless trampling of our clients’ free speech, due process and equal protection rights under the Missouri and United States constitutions.” The pro-reform groups sued, and a trial in federal court was set to begin in the coming weeks. Instead, a compromise was reached, and Springfield will now have to pay $225,000 to marijuana reform groups.
One more time: The federal government was forced to pay a six-figure settlement to marijuana reform groups.
Of course, $50,000 of the settlement will be funded by taxpayers, but the rest will be covered through insurance. The City Council insists that this was the most cost effective resolution, and refused to admit any fault. Because the case was settled ‘with prejudice’, the marijuana reform groups can’t file a new complaint based on this incident, saving the City years of litigation and fees.
John Payne, the executive director for Show-Me Cannabis, stated what the groups plan to do with the money. While most of it will have to go to their lawyers, the rest will be used to continue what these groups started; get marijuana legalized.
For Payne, there’s a silver lining to the whole ordeal. “There is a delicious irony to the fact that the city government that worked so hard to attack and disrespect our efforts will now be one of our largest contributors.”
[about_faith]
