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As some Clevelanders this week began to share, or re-share, a list of businesses owned or associated with Bobby George in the wake of his arrest on charges of attempted murder, rape and kidnapping, a string of marijuana dispensaries got unintentionally caught up in the discourse.
RISE cannabis dispensaries, among the few and earliest to receive dual-use licenses from the state of Ohio to begin recreational marijuana sales, have oftentimes been erroneously included alongside George's establishments such as TownHall, REBol, the Barley House and others.
While George was five years ago an equity partner in Green Thumb Industries, the Chicago-based company that operates RISE locations in Cleveland, Lakewood and elsewhere, that brief relationship that began in 2018 ended in 2019, according to the Cannabis Business Times.
“We are horrified by the allegations involving Bobby George and stand by our past decision to dissociate him from our business,” a company statement provided to the outlet by Vice President of Communications Shannon Weaver read.
“[He] is not a partner of GTI Ohio and has no ownership interest or operational involvement in RISE Dispensaries and Green Thumb Industries,” Weaver told Cleveland 19. “He has not owned equity in GTI Ohio in years.”
George surrendered to authorities Tuesday morning. The charges cover incidents dating back to last November, including allegations that he strangled the victim after shoving her head against a table, that he pointed a gun at her while she was attempting to leave a residence, that he shoved a towel down her throat, that he said "You think God is going to help you?" as she hid in a closet at their house, and that he raped her.
A protection order has been granted for the victim.
George was a handed a $200,000 bond in Cleveland Municipal Court on Tuesday -- $100,000 more than the amount originally sought by both George's attorney and prosecutors as Judge Sheila Turner McCall blanched at the number given the "horrible" nature of the alleged crimes -- and was released.
While George has not responded to requests for comment, his attorney Kevin Spellacy, who initially told Scene at 5 p.m. on Monday that he was unaware of any incidents involving the businessman and wasn't representing him, has gone on to contend that his client is innocent and the subject of an inept investigation by police.
"It's 101 to me. I think the last name made a difference in this instance," he told News 5 Cleveland. "In this instance, Mr. George is being treated extremely unfairly by an incompetent City of Cleveland law department with a lack of investigation. They didn’t do their homework."
In statements to the media on Tuesday, Cleveland Law Director Mark Griffin wholly denied the insinuation.
"Information is gathered, evidence is presented to the prosecutor, and an objective decision is made solely based on the facts," Griffin said. "It's imperative for the public to know that this case was treated according to standard protocols like any other case — regardless of the defendant's name, title, or occupation."
On the boycott front, stories of George's alleged crimes have escaped the Ohio news sphere due to his refusal to show the Olympics at his restaurants following wrongly informed outrage over an opening ceremony drag performance that was an ode to Dionysus and not, as many Christians claimed, a take on The Last Supper.
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RISE cannabis dispensaries, among the few and earliest to receive dual-use licenses from the state of Ohio to begin recreational marijuana sales, have oftentimes been erroneously included alongside George's establishments such as TownHall, REBol, the Barley House and others.
While George was five years ago an equity partner in Green Thumb Industries, the Chicago-based company that operates RISE locations in Cleveland, Lakewood and elsewhere, that brief relationship that began in 2018 ended in 2019, according to the Cannabis Business Times.
“We are horrified by the allegations involving Bobby George and stand by our past decision to dissociate him from our business,” a company statement provided to the outlet by Vice President of Communications Shannon Weaver read.
“[He] is not a partner of GTI Ohio and has no ownership interest or operational involvement in RISE Dispensaries and Green Thumb Industries,” Weaver told Cleveland 19. “He has not owned equity in GTI Ohio in years.”
George surrendered to authorities Tuesday morning. The charges cover incidents dating back to last November, including allegations that he strangled the victim after shoving her head against a table, that he pointed a gun at her while she was attempting to leave a residence, that he shoved a towel down her throat, that he said "You think God is going to help you?" as she hid in a closet at their house, and that he raped her.
A protection order has been granted for the victim.
George was a handed a $200,000 bond in Cleveland Municipal Court on Tuesday -- $100,000 more than the amount originally sought by both George's attorney and prosecutors as Judge Sheila Turner McCall blanched at the number given the "horrible" nature of the alleged crimes -- and was released.
While George has not responded to requests for comment, his attorney Kevin Spellacy, who initially told Scene at 5 p.m. on Monday that he was unaware of any incidents involving the businessman and wasn't representing him, has gone on to contend that his client is innocent and the subject of an inept investigation by police.
"It's 101 to me. I think the last name made a difference in this instance," he told News 5 Cleveland. "In this instance, Mr. George is being treated extremely unfairly by an incompetent City of Cleveland law department with a lack of investigation. They didn’t do their homework."
In statements to the media on Tuesday, Cleveland Law Director Mark Griffin wholly denied the insinuation.
"Information is gathered, evidence is presented to the prosecutor, and an objective decision is made solely based on the facts," Griffin said. "It's imperative for the public to know that this case was treated according to standard protocols like any other case — regardless of the defendant's name, title, or occupation."
On the boycott front, stories of George's alleged crimes have escaped the Ohio news sphere due to his refusal to show the Olympics at his restaurants following wrongly informed outrage over an opening ceremony drag performance that was an ode to Dionysus and not, as many Christians claimed, a take on The Last Supper.
Subscribe to Cleveland Scene newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Or sign up for our RSS Feed
