In 2014, Richard Kirk shot and killed his wife, Kristine Kirk, after ingesting marijuana edibles purchased in a dispensary. According to the Denver Post, Kristine’s sons have filed a lawsuit against the Colorado marijuana companies that produced and sold the edibles.
The case stands on the assumption that the store, Nutritional Elements Inc., and the producer, Gaia’s Garden LLC, intentionally did not warn the customer how intense the high would be after eating the cannabis-infused candy. They believe that the drug caused Richard to hallucinate and that this psychotic behavior forced him to shoot his wife.
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The lawsuit claims that the packaging of these edibles did not include a safety warning listing possible side effects. In January, Colorado changed its labeling legislation and all edible producers are now required to provide more information on the package.
Richard, who is 49 years old, now faces a first-degree murder charge. In September he changed his plea from a previous claim of not guilty to not guilty due to insanity. Denver prosecutors argue that his actions were intentional because of the financial situation his family was facing, and because his marriage was in an emotionally unstable state.
Kristine’s sons are pursuing emotional and economic damages. To read more about the issue, check out the full story.
Collegian Green Report Blogger Capelli D’Angelo can be reached online at blogs@collegian.com.
