Checking in on Joel Castle

There’s plenty to report in the story of Joel Castle, the man convicted in May of trading pot for a guitar back in January 2010. The medical-cannabis advocate and former head of the Chico Cannabis Club maintains his innocence from inside High Desert State Prison, where he’s been serving out his sentence.

Castle (pictured) is looking at an early release date of Oct. 15. He reports that he will then be on parole for three years and will have to register as a drug offender. He adds, however, that his request for an appeal has been granted, and an attorney, David L. Kelly of Bakersfield, has been assigned to represent him.

He has plenty planned for when he returns, so stay tuned.