Crime & Safety
'NJ Weedman' Challenging Pretrial Detention
Ed Forchion questions the constitutionality of his pretrial detention under the bail reform enacted this year, The Trentonian reports.
Ed Forchion, aka “Weedman” is challenging the constitutionality of his pre-trial detention in court. Forchion is charged with six counts of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, three counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, possession with the intent to distribute, two counts of possession with the intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, possession with the intent to distribute within 500 feet of a park, fortified premises, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a narcotics nuisance and witness tampering.
He was arrested last year following a raid at the Weedman’s Joint cafe and sanctuary. The tampering charges followed in March after Forchion attempted to make contact with a confidential informant who tipped off authorities prior to the raid. He has been in jail on those charges without bail ever since.
During a hearing on Wednesday, he said there is no evidence to support the witness tampering charges, according to The Trentonian. He is also challenging the constitutionality of his pre-trial detention while trying to get the court to reconsider its position that he is too dangerous to be released pre-trial on any conditions. A decision is expected next week.
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The bail reform that took effect on Jan. 1, 2017, allows dangerous criminals charged with non-capital crimes to be held without bail after arrest.
The law includes "far-reaching criminal justice reforms (that) also mandate speedy trials and, in most cases, eliminate monetary bail, which has had a discriminatory impact on poorer defendants who have remained in jail on minor charges under the old system due to inability to pay even modest amounts of bail."
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The intent of the law is to ensure dangerous criminals can't pay their way out of jail, while those accused of a minor, nonviolent, crime don't languish in jail simply because they cannot raise bail money.
The attached image of Ed Forchion was previously provided by the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office
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