FREDERICTON – A New Brunswick Mountie who complained he wasn’t allowed to smoke medicinal marijuana for post-traumatic stress disorder while in uniform pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of assaulting two RCMP officers.
Cpl. Ron Francis is accused of assaulting an RCMP constable and a superintendent in Oromocto on Jan 12.
Francis also pleaded not guilty in a Fredericton court to a charge stemming from the same date that alleges he breached an undertaking not to possess or consume alcohol or non-prescribed drugs.
A trial date for the three charges has been set for July 15.
Francis is set to stand trial in September after he previously pleaded not guilty to charges of assaulting two other RCMP officers in Fredericton on Dec. 6.
The RCMP is seeking an order to prevent Francis from having possession of firearms or other weapons, which will be heard June 9.
Defence lawyer T.J. Burke says he could offer a constitutional argument because Francis is aboriginal and has a right to be able to hunt for food and livelihood.
Francis is on leave from the RCMP.
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