By BEN BROWN The Daily Journal
Article Last Updated: 05/22/2008 08:17:41 AM PDT
Codefendants Jeff Burrell and Steven Laino did not enter pleas to marijuana cultivation charges at their Wednesday arraignment because the District Attorney's Office was not prepared to charge them.
"The district attorney has not reached a filing decision," said Deputy District Attorney Katharine Houston.
Burrell and Laino were arrested April 21 on suspicion of possession of marijuana for sale, cultivation of marijuana for sale and maintaining a place for drug sales after the Ukiah Police Department served a search warrant on a storage shed leased by Burrell and seized a reported 140 plants.
Laino was additionally charged with conspiracy to commit a crime.
Police have said that Burrell and Laino were splitting the work and the profits from the garden. Burrell's attorney, David Eyster, said Laino has signed a letter saying that Burrell leased the building and knew the marijuana was growing there, but was not involved.
Eyster represented Burrell in court Wednesday; Laino was represented by Ukiah attorney David Peterson.
No date was set for the two men's arraignment Wednesday, and their bail was dropped.
Burrell was a part time coach and teacher at Ukiah High School, as well as being the owner of Accurate Construction. He has been suspended from his teaching job pending the outcome of his trial.
Ben Brown can be reached at udjbb@pacific.net.
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