State v. Otis

¶1 At a bench trial on stipulated facts, the trial court found Earl Gordon Otis, Jr., guilty of manufacturing marijuana, contrary to RCW 69.50.401(1). Otis appeals his conviction, arguing that the trial court erred when it granted the State’s motion to preclude him from asserting a medical marijuana caregiver affirmative defense — that Otis was legally growing marijuana as a caregiver for a qualifying patient under the Washington State Medical Use of Marijuana Act (Act), chapter 69.51A RCW. Because the trial court failed to enter written findings of fact and conclusions of law as required for…