Don't Pot Growers Have a Right to Self-Defense?

In another case at the intersection of drug prohibition and armed self-defense, Gershom L. Avery of Lima Township, Michigan, faces charges of assault and using a gun in the commission of a felony after shooting a burglar. The fact that the burglar was trying to steal the marijuana Avery was growing seems to be clouding what should be a clear case of self-defense:

"This is not some wacko shooting off a gun," said [Scio Township Trustee Chuck] Ream, a member of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML). "This is a homeowner, a worker, and a citizen. Even if it was found that he was growing a green plant, he doesn't give up his right to defend his family. He wasn't protecting his plants. He was protecting his wife and his life."

[Thanks to Allen St. Pierre for the link.]