He had put himself in the penalty box, but René Barendse was still nervous when the lawsuit about his cannabis cultivation started. "I really tried everything."
The judge says it, the public prosecutor repeats it and Barendse's lawyer also appoints it: it is a special case for which we are together here. René Barendse has, at his own request, been prosecuted for the cultivation of five cannabis plants in his garden. De Naaldwijker hopes that the court will see that he cannot do without his own culture, which he desperately needs to keep his nervous pains bearable.
Last year the police came by to remove the plants from Barendse. "While I've always been open and transparent to prevent that," said Barendse. He is afraid that his home-grown medicine will be confiscated again. To prevent that, his lawyer asks to 'release him from all legal proceedings'.
However, the Public Prosecution Service sees nothing in this, as evidenced by the plea of the public prosecutor. “I have no doubts about Barendse's nerve pain and I have no doubt that hemp can relieve that. Yet I find it insufficiently proven that there is a state of emergency for Barendse. ” The officer doubts whether Barendse has tried all other possible drugs before resorting to illegal cannabis cultivation.
According to his lawyer, that is beyond dispute. “He has been working on this for fifteen years, has really tried everything and it works. He can't stop growing, even if he wanted to. His pain is excruciating without this medication. ”
At the end of the hearing, Barendse still urges the court: ,, Without my cannabis, I will end up in a black hole. That's horrible. A few years ago I tried going on a three week vacation without cannabis. After a week, I had to go back. It cannot be done without cannabis. ”
Decision will follow in two weeks.
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