Again with the sentence

After spending about two hours on the stand last Thursday (June 21), Bryan Epis learned his saga will continue two months longer. District Court Judge Frank Damrell Jr. ordered the Chico man to return to court Aug. 27 for resentencing.

As detailed in CN&R Newslines (“Caught in the middle,” June 21), Epis is the first Californian tried and convicted under federal law for growing medical marijuana. He received a 10-year sentence in federal court, where state Proposition 215—the Compassionate Use Act—is not recognized. He was released in 2004 after serving 25 months due to an appeals court decision in another case, but the U.S. Supreme Court overturned that ruling, so back to court he went.

Should Damrell reinstate the sentence, Epis said, he hopes he can remain out on bail pending an appeal.