Wolfe convicted of possession By Hanna LoPatin Daily Staff Reporter Ann Arbor resident Renee Emry Wolfe, an advocate for the use of marijuana for medical purposes, was convicted of marijuana possession in Washington, D.C. on Friday but says she is pleased with the verdict because it will continue to make her cause known. "It can go on appeal with more judges becoming acquainted with this issue," she said. In this case, "the judge came away a wiser woman and the prosecutor came away a wiser man." Wolfe, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, was arrested in September 1998 when she went to the office of U.S. Rep. William McCullom (R-Fla.) and lit a marijuana cigarette. Wolfe said she intended only to talk to McCullom about legalizing marijuana for medicinal use but in the stressful environment began to feel a muscle spasm coming on and lit up the marijuana cigarette. "Rather than writhe on the floor uncontrollably, I did what I knew would change the inevitable," she said. "Been there, done that, don't want to do it again." District of Columbia Superior Court Judge Stephanie Duncan-Peters ruled that there was not enough medical evidence to prove Wolfe needed to light the marijuana cigarette in McCollom's office but gave her a sentence of 50 hours of community service and a fine of $50. "I would prefer that (Wolfe) return to her home and deal with her medical condition in whatever way she and her doctor deem appropriate," Duncan-Peters said. Wolfe said California neurologist Denis Petro supports her use of marijuana to combat her muscle spasms and testified during the trial. Prosecutor Alex Bourelly said the defense presented a unique case but maintained that there was no disputing the fact that Wolfe possessed marijuana in the representative's office. Both Bourelly and the judge agreed that the defense failed to prove medical necessity because legal alternative drugs were available and it was not shown that Wolfe needed to smoke marijuana at the congressman's office. Duncan-Peters "drank in all of the information that was put before her," Wolfe said. "She behaved as a jurist should." "If part of her purpose or all of her purpose is to educate, I certainly consider myself educated during the process of this trial," Duncan-Peters said. Wolfe said she has tried several different drugs to deal with her symptoms, but it was only when she was part of a government project to test the medical effects of marijuana that she found relief. Wolfe said she was initially frustrated with her court-appointed lawyer, Jeffrey Orchard, who she blamed for the trial spanning more than a week instead of the expected one-day duration. But Wolfe said she is grateful for his efforts. "Were it not for him, I wouldn't have gotten that verdict," she said. - The Associated Press contributed to this report. "If part of her purpose or all of her purpose is to educate, I certainly consider myself educated during the process of this trial," Duncan-Peters said. Wolfe said she has tried several different drugs to deal with her symptoms, but it was only when she was part of a government project to test the medical effects of marijuana that she found relief. Wolfe said she was initially frustrated with her court-appointed lawyer, Jeffrey Orchard, who she blamed for the trial spanning more than a week instead of the expected one-day duration. But Wolfe said she is grateful for his efforts. "Were it not for him, I wouldn't have gotten that verdict," she said. Originally on page 1A in the 1-31-2000 issue of the Daily.