Denver Man Blames Edible Marijuana For The Murder Of His Wife

Vice- In a Denver courtroom on March 13, a man named Richard Kirk pleaded not guilty to the first-degree murder of his wife, Kristine. He doesn't dispute that he killed her—according to the statement of probable cause, Kirk, without being questioned, told the officer arresting him that he had killed his wife. But Kirk's attorneys argue that the legally purchased marijuana edible he had consumed before the incident had so clouded his mind that he couldn't be held culpable for his actions.

Even in a state still grappling with how to handle legalized marijuana, it seems like an awful lot of responsibility to heap on a product called Karma Kandy Orange Ginger—the candy that, according to the search warrant affidavit obtained by VICE, was listed on a receipt found in the Kirks' basement on the night of the murder.



​You can blame edible weed for a lot of things. You can blame it for blowing off each and every one of your responsibilities. You can blame it for an empty fridge. You can blame it for the permanent impression left in the couch. You can even blame it for the inability to do remedial math. Just don't you dare tell me it's responsible for the murder of your wife. Unless your wife put the gun in your hand and pulled the trigger for you while you were too high to realize what was going on. The only person that should be claiming 'not guilty' is Mary Jane. I'm not saying someone can't have a bad experience with marijuana. I am saying that no matter how fucked up it makes your thought process, you certainly aren't going to want to do anything about it in the moment. Even if I wanted to kill my wife before the candy, once that buzz kicks in it is working as the ultimate deterrent. Sure this guy doesn't keep his meth candy in the same drawer as his weed candy? Kind of like at a sporting event when you put hot sauce on your fries instead of ketchup, except generally speaking that doesn't end in homicide.

This may be the only problem with the legalization of marijuana. It just gives criminals, from murderers to simple thieves, a new scapegoat. It used to just be blame it on the al-al-al-al-alka-hol, and now theres a legal hallucinogenic on the market. I mean, you're not going to mention the heroin you possibly abuse if you can just blame your pot candy and turn the discussion from you being a psychopath to the legitimacy of a newly legal drug. I guess I got to give him credit. Accusing something that, by definition, is a mind altering substance is as good of an excuse as any for killing your wife in cold blood.