FREDERICTON -- A New Brunswick Mountie who drew national attention after he complained he wasn't allowed to smoke medicinal marijuana for post-traumatic stress disorder while in uniform has pleaded not guilty to assaulting two RCMP officers.
Defence lawyer T.J. Burke entered not guilty pleas Tuesday on behalf of Cpl. Ron Francis, who is charged with two counts of assaulting a peace officer and one count of resisting arrest.
Francis, who was not in Fredericton provincial court when the matter arose, was arrested Dec. 6 after the RCMP said they became concerned for his well-being when they found him on a downtown Fredericton street. The city's Public Safety Department said he had top be subdued with a stun gun.
He has a three-day trial scheduled to begin Sept. 3.
In November, Francis returned his red serge on orders from his superiors but accused the RCMP and the federal government of not doing enough to support officers with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The RCMP said its officers who are prescribed medicinal marijuana should not be in red serge or regular uniform while taking their medication as it wouldn't portray the right message to the public.
Francis has been placed on leave.
