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Trial Begins For Mom Who Allegedly Gave Edibles To Son Who Jumped From Window

By Lauren DiSpirito

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4) - The trial of a Northern Colorado mother accused of buying and selling a marijuana-infused brownie to her son's teenage roommate and telling him to lie about where he got it is underway in Fort Collins.

Julieane Jablonski, 39, is charged with illegally transferring marijuana concentrate and witness tampering stemming from an April 2015 incident. Police say Jablonski's then 19-year-old son Austin Essig consumed the edible marijuana she had sold to Essig's roommate. A short time later, Essig threw himself out of a third story window, suffering serious injuries in the fall. Essig survived.

Julieane Jablonski
Julieane Jablonski (credit: Larimer County Sheriff)

On Monday, after a jury was seated in the case, attorneys delivered their opening statements. The prosecution says Jablonski not only broke the law in buying and selling the marijuana edible, but that she committed another criminal act in telling a witness, her son's roommate, that he "needed to recant his statement to the police and lie about where the marijuana came from."

Julieane Jablonski
Julieane Jablonski entering court on June 16, 2015 (credit: CBS)

Jablonski's defense argues she did not tell the teenager to lie, and that even if she had, her actions would not amount to witness tampering. Jablonski's attorney indicated his client intends to take the stand in her own defense.

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The trial is slated to run three days. If convicted, Jablonski could face prison time.

Lauren DiSpirito is CBS4's Northern Newsroom reporter. Follow her on Twitter @CBS4Lauren. Share your story ideas with her here.

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