Michigan Medical Marijuana Patient Charged for Pot Brownies Dies

A Michigan medical marijuana patient who pleaded guilty last week for possession of pot brownies has died. Reports indicate that former Kent County correctional officer Timothy Bernhardt died Sunday morning, just weeks away from his sentencing hearing.

Although the cause of Bernhardt’s death has not been revealed, there is speculation that he may have committed suicide rather than face a prison sentence. After all, he was a veteran of the Michigan prison system, a position that would have likely earned him a severe beat down or possibly even death once he entered the general population of a penitentiary.

Yesterday, we wrote that Michigan police were still busting medical marijuana patients for pot edibles, which is what led to the arrest of Bernhardt and three other correction officers. Bernhardt was facing two years in prison.

Despite rumors of suicide, Matthew Newburg, attorney for the Bernhardt family, said that it was the stress of the trail that led to his death. "I'm sure the stress of what he was going through with this case had something to do with it," Newburg told WOODTV.com. "I can't tell you the result of this is simply because of this case."

In the end, the illegal status of marijuana edibles in Michigan is ultimately what caused Bernhardt’s death.