Benton Mackenzie: Terminal Cancer Patient Treated Like Cartel Boss

The American judicial system has displayed another staggering lack of humanity and compassion. Iowa resident and terminal cancer patient Benton Mackenzie faces up to three years in jail, as a result of a police raid in 2013 that found him, along with his family, to be growing cannabis.

Benton suffers from angiosarcoma, which is a rare cancer of the blood vessels that causes painful skin legions and tumors. He was growing the cannabis to harvest CBD oil to treat his tumors.

When this horribly sick man was hauled in front of Iowa Judge Henry Latham, he was banned from explaining his reasons for growing cannabis to the jury. Worse, he was threatened with jail time if he spoke at all about his health (or lack thereof) in court whatsoever. Instead, he was forced to remain silent and be treated like a criminal, being accused of growing cannabis with conspiracy to sell. His wife, son and elderly parents were all charged as well.

Even more upsetting is the fact that, in May, Iowa made CBD oil legal for people with severe epilepsy, but the letter of the law ONLY allows for it to be used for epilepsy. Iowa is a state where 81% of the population supports medical marijuana. That number crosses political lines. Judge Latham had every opportunity to exhibit an ounce of humanity and also honor the impending will of the state residents, yet chose in typical myopic fashion, to throw the full weight of the courts at Mr. Mackenzie, a sick man who will very possibly die in prison.

In fact, he was so ill in court he showed up wrapped in a blanket and had to be rushed to a hospital due to intense pain and hallucinations. The judge sat there and witnessed all this occur and did absolutely nothing to alter his decision. I believe it to be a cop-out to hide behind the law and claim that you are just upholding the state’s will. All these jackasses in power deserve to come down with a health problem that can only be helped by cannabis, maybe then they will show at least a shred of common decency.

How can a judge ban a defendant from defending himself? How is that even legal? It seems to me that Judge Latham is trying to make an example of the Mackenzies. It’s a construct of an anachronistic system. This will only serve to terrify other sick people. Benton is not a hardened drug baron or even a small time dealer. He is a deathly ill man who was taking steps, with the help of his family, to improve the quality of what little life he has left.

Who among us would not do the same for ourselves or loved ones if faced with such a circumstance? Our justice system is not just broken, but utterly shattered. The jury, presumably Iowa residents (some of which most likely would count themselves among the 81% who support MMJ), would have probably been moved by Benton’s plight and shown him leniency. The judge knew this and thuggishly threatened incarceration if Mackenzie so much as peeped about his illness.

The law should protect us by prosecuting violence, theft, destruction, etc. You want to be extra strict on the meth dealer to scare other potential meth dealers? I’m totally fine with that. But a line has to be drawn when sick, peaceful people are punished for growing a plant that eases their pain. Mackenzie did have 70+ cannabis plants in his homegrow operation, which can seem excessive to the outsider. However, extracting oil from plants is an arduous process and each individual plant only yields a small amount of oil. To get enough CBD to have consistent, effective results would certainly require a large number of plants.

For now we can only wait and see the severity of Benton’s sentence (unless you know where Judge Latham lives and have a surplus of rotten eggs and toilet paper). Please head over to the “Free Benton Mackenzie” Facebook page and offer some kind words and support for this man.