A Cedarville [Ark.] man�s argument that he manufactured methamphetamine for medicinal reasons was rejected Thursday by a Crawford County jury, which recommended that he spend 25 years in the Arkansas Department of Correction.
The nine-woman, three-man jury deliberated for three hours before finding Craig Harris, 45, guilty of possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. . . .
[H]arris was arrested Oct. 7, 2003, after investigators from the 12th-21st Judicial Drug Task Force raided his home in the 400 block of Millpond Road and found a small amount of methamphetamine along with the chemicals and equipment needed to make the drug.
Harris told the jury that he had manufactured methamphetamine for the past 18 months, but said it was for medicinal purposes. Harris said he was injured while serving in the military, and continued to be affected by those injuries.
Harris said he tried methamphetamine about five years ago but didn�t like it. However, about 18 months ago, he tried it again for relief from pain and found that it helped. �It helped me get through the day. It had a healing effect on me. I was able to function during the day,� Harris said.
Houston asked Harris why he didn�t obtain a legal prescription for the drug through his doctor. �I didn�t know it could be prescribed,� said Harris.
Details here from the Times Record of Fort Smith, Arkansas. (via Arbitrary and Capricious)