Charges dropped against Medi-pot collective Mountainside

The Butte County District Attorney’s Office dropped charges against three people involved in the Mountainside Patients Collective, the only medical-marijuana dispensary raided in June 2010 to be criminally charged.

“The lead defendant, Jason Anderson, has a health problem that is very severe and we didn’t feel it was right to proceed when he’s fighting for his life,” said Helen Harberts, special assistant district attorney and the one who filed the dismissal. “The public-safety risk of having a marijuana store has been abated. Justice has been served.”

Harberts has her sights set on two others involved in last summer’s raids: Rick Tognoli, who ran Scripts Only Service, and Robert Galia, who ran North Valley Holistic Health. They should expect charges in the next month, she said.