Cancer-Stricken Wife To Testify In Husband's Trial
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- The trial of a man who says he grew marijuana to help his cancer-stricken wife continued Thursday.
According to our news partners at the Miami Herald, Ricardo Varona's wife is expected to take the stand in defense of her husband's actions of growing marijuana which allegedly relieved her pain.
Varona is accused of trafficking over 25 pounds of marijuana and operating a growhouse in July 2014.
Varona, 43, has made no apologies for what he is accused of, saying he did not break the law, since he was running the sophisticated hydroponics lab inside his southwest Miami-Dade home, strictly for his wife who has breast cancer.
"This case is about a man willing to do anything to ease his wife's suffering,"said Assistant Public Defender Adam Bair.
The unusual defense, in a state that does not yet allow medical marijuana, remained unconvincing to prosecutors.
Prosecutors say his last batch had 15 live marijuana plants which they say is too much simply for medical use.
"One-hundred pounds too many," said Miami-Dade prosecutor David Emas.
Defense, however, pointed out that no money or materials used for packaging and selling marijuana were found.
The trial comes as the Florida Legislature authorized a low-grade strain of marijuana to treat a certain number of ailments including cancer. In October, the state is set to decide which growers would be allowed to cultivate the plants. This means, patients would likely be able to start using it sometime early next year.
Legally, Varona, would not be covered under Florida's marijuana law.
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rewritten, or redistributed. CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald contributed material for this report.)
