Marijuana at Center of PC World Senior Editor's Murder Trial

The men who fatally shot former PC World senior technical editor Rex Farrance [pictured] broke into his Pittsburg, California home in January 2007 in search of money and marijuana, according to the testimony of one of the defendants.

Cleothius Termaine Amos, 27, testified in the state’s Contra Costa County court Tuesday that he and his fellow defendants—Darryl Hudson, also 27, and Montrell Hall, 25—as well as a fourth man, broke into Farrance’s home to steal marijuana, according to a Contra Costa Times news report. Farrance’s 21-year-old son, Sterling Farrance, testified that he began growing marijuana in the house in 2006 after he obtained legal permission to do so for medical reasons.

Police reportedly found more than 100 marijuana plants and several pounds of processed marijuana at Farrance’s home.

Amos last week pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in exchange for his testimony. On Monday, attorneys for Hudson and Hall delivered statements placing the blame on Amos.

Farrance’s widow, Lenore Van Tosh-Farrance—who was at home during the break-in—testified Tuesday that two masked men followed Farrance into their bedroom on the night of the crime. As he searched for money, one of the men shot him in the chest.

Amos testified that the men stole a safe, a laptop computer and a pound of marijuana. The trial is ongoing.

RELATED LINKS

Trial Set in PC World Senior Editor's Murder

Post Comment / Discuss This Story - Info/Rules

Cleothius. Hmmmm.

Submitted by KPO718 on Wed, 06/03/2009 - 17:12.

Cleothius. Hmmmm.

Legalize it for gods sake.

Submitted by SEO Acuity on Wed, 06/03/2009 - 17:45.

Enough said.

Dubious headline

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 09:28.

The demonization of marijuana evidenced in this headline is as ridiculous as the attitudes displayed in the film Reefer Madness. The criminals who murdered Rex Farrance have no conscience about anything, and would have murdered an innocent person over any little thing, not just marijuana. Also, just by the by, marijuana does not cause people to behave so barbarically. I might have titled this post instead "Handgun at Center of PC World Senior Editor's Murder."

agreement

Submitted by Mark David on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 10:13.

I agree with Anonymous that the headline in this article is worded for effect. People keep forgetting if marijuana is legal, these criminals would not need to break into houses because the financial incentive to do so would no longer exist. We would all go down to a state run dispensary and buy it there, not from drug dealers of this sort. I am only assuming these guys sought to steal and sell this as product, because of the article.

further agreement - shame on Folio

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 11:05.

I think that the headline is certainly misleading and works to reinforce the public's misconception of marijuana as a "dangerous drug". My only question is, why was this headline framed in such a way? How could this magazine benefit from stoking public paranoias that cost our government and taxpayers billions a year, not to mention the human cost of marijuana prohibition? Perhaps the only thing worse than sensationalistic journalism is when it is purposelessly sensationalistic.

Yes, terrible headline. It's

Submitted by Anon on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 11:23.

Yes, terrible headline. It's quite a stretch, and criminalizes the victim.

re: agreements

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 11:28.

there's nothing wrong with this headline. the guy testified that pot was the REASON they broke into the house. u people need smoke a doob and chill out.

Farrance

Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 06/04/2009 - 11:35.

What a sad story. My heart goes out to his family.

I look forward to the next crime headline...

Submitted by John Clavis on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 14:54.

... in which robbers break into a house looking for TVs and stereo equipment to steal, and the headline reads "MODERN MEDIA BEHIND RECENT ROBBERY"...