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US: Medical Marijuana Provider Dies in Federal Custody

Kacey Drescher

KFBB.com

Thursday 30 Aug 2012

A Vietnam veteran and one of the first medical marijuana caregivers in the state has died in federal custody after his transfer to a federal prison, equipped to properly deal with his declining medical problems, was delayed for months.

68- year old Richard Flor was sentenced to five years in federal prison in April on charges that he illegally maintained drug related premises. He was a co-owner of Montana Cannabis and ran a dispensary out of his home. His wife and son were also sentenced to federal prison and Flor's daughter begged for leniency, pointing to health problems that require round-the-clock care.

Flor was in the process of being transferred when he passed, he had been held in a private detention facility in Shelby since April and his family made the decision early Thursday to take him off life support at a Las Vegas hospital, awaiting the Bureau of Prisons' Decision to move him to a prison that could better deal with his lengthy medical issues.

Flor had been diagnosed with dementia and depression along with other medical conditions. His attorney says he suffered two heart attacks, renal failure and kidney failure.

"It's sad that Richard was in prison at all for being a caregiver, especially when such a large number of people think marijuana should be available as an option for sick patients . In affect he got a life sentence which is tragic and really kind of hard to imagine. My hear t goes out to his family and I can only hope that our government will end the war on marijuana and come up with a better solution than throwing people like Richard into prison," says Chris Lindsey, MTCIA President and former college of Flor.

Lindsey says he will remember Flor as a man with a very positive disposition.

U.S. District Judge Charles Lovell recently denied a request to release Flor pending his appeal. Flor was convicted after the medical marijuana raids last spring, during the Legislative Session.

Medical cannabis colleagues say his health declined dramatically after the raids.

According to medical marijuana advocates ABC 5’s Kacey Drescher spoke with, Flor believed he was in compliance, operating his businesses the right way. His daughter Kristin says "we all thought he was doing it the right way." These advocates also say they are planning on asking for compassionate clemency for his wife who is currently serving a two-year sentence in Arizona.

http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Medical-Marijuana-Provider-Dies-in-Federal-Custody-168098056.html

 

 

 

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