Woman's car impounded, fined $1200 for $10 of medical pot

DETROIT (WJBK) - A Detroit nurse who bought $10 in medical marijuana says Wayne County Deputies were targeting her and followed her both into and out of the dispensary.

Crystal Sisson bought the gram of pot from the medical dispensary. According to her attorney, Barton Morris, that's when deputies targeted her.

"(She) came out of the dispensary and was immediately pulled over by Wayne County Sheriff who was watching the dispensary - pulling people over coming out," Morris said.

Sisson was pulled over for not using her turn signal and she admitted to having $10 in pot in her car. That's when things got worse for her.

"The only reason why they pulled her over, found marijuana in her car was to have the opportunity to take her car," Barton said.

The law is called civil forfeiture- meaning if cops find illegal pot in your car or home or on your boat or whatever, they can seize those items and make you pay to get it back. This is true even if you are not convicted of the initial crime.  

For Crystal, it cost her $1,200 for $10 in pot.

"It's policing for profit," Barton said.

Sisson did not have a medical marijuana card, if she had one, there would not be a problem.

In a statement by the Wayne County Sheriff's Office - they said that they were sanctioned by the state to enforce the forfeiture laws. 

"...we are sanctioned by the state to enforce the forfeiture laws. Marijuana is still illegal, and those without proper identification to possess marijuana will encounter the consequences." 

Barton argues her forfeiture goes against the spirit of the law.

"The state law is intended to take away the other vehicles and the profits that drug dealers are making. This is is an individual, a single mother that is coming out of a dispensary with about $10 worth of marijuana and now her car was taken," Barton said.