LOS ANGELES -- The medical marijuana advocacy group Americans for Safe Access filed legal briefs Monday alleging the city of Montebello is in contempt of court for not returning property the agency maintains was wrongfully seized from a medical marijuana user.

A request for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Craig Veals to issue contempt proceedings was filed in response to the alleged refusal by the city of Montebello to return medical marijuana and other belongings taken by its local police department from Terry Walker, according to the ASA. Montebello police in October 2004 seized marijuana plants, growing equipment, and personal correspondence from Walker's Montebello home, according to the ASA.

Police criminally charged Walker, who was a medical marijuana patient, but the case was later dismissed and a court order was subsequently issued for the return of his property, according to the ASA.

Despite the court order, the city of Montebello has refused to return any of Walker's property, according to the ASA. Montebello City Attorney Arnold Alvarez-Glasman was not immediately available for comment, according to City News Service.

