The marijuana possession case against former Fair Haven resident Eric Hafner was postponed two weeks by a Middletown judge Monday, the Asbury Park Press reports.
Hafner, 20, was the subject of a redbankgreen article in January. He claims he has a constitutional right to use marijuana to alleviate the symptoms of debilitating post-traumatic stress disorder, even though a two-year-old state law allowing medical marijuana possession and use does not include PSTD.
Hafner, who now lives in California, vows to go to jail rather than plead guilty.
On Monday, a scheduled trial in municipal court was postponed until March 27 “because legal documents explaining the medical marijuana claims had not been exchanged” between the prosecutor and Hafner, the Press reports.
From the Press:
Hafner was joined outside the municipal court Monday morning by seven sign-toting medical marijuana advocates in a show of support before his scheduled appointment with the judge.
Hafner, a resident of Fair Haven when he was arrested in November, but now living in North Hollywood, Ca. since late January, claims he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related to a series of events he would not discuss that occurred when he was 16 years old. He says he uses marijuana to ease his symptoms.
Hafner says he currently carries a letter from a California-based doctor recommending and approving Hafner’s use of marijuana for medicinal purposes to treat PTSD. But he says because medical marijuana laws are in limbo in New Jersey, he could not secure an OK from a doctor here before he was found in possession of a small amount of marijuana during the November motor vehicle stop.
“New Jersey is screwing up. This isn’t me doing anything wrong,” Hafner said Monday before heading into the courtroom. “I don’t blame the police for this. If you’re a police officer, your job is to enforce the law. But in this case the law is flawed and we need to fix it,” Hafner said. “This is not going to be in the legal realm forever.’’
