CBD House of Healing, attorney speak out about business getting raided by police

17.5 pounds of marijuana, over 3,500 pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes, 191 THC vapes, 400 THC vape cartridges and over 500 containers of THC gummies. These are just a few of the items the Abilene Police listed on an affidavit regarding the police raid of a local CBD shop. However, leadership and litigation for the CBD store House of Healing are saying this raid was unjust. Brittany Manske and her husband Brennon own CBD House of Healing and spoke to their surprise this past Saturday, August the 23rd, of seeing several officers at their business’s doors.

“We never wanted it to come to this. We were just as shocked as everybody else with what has happened. After we have tried so hard to cooperate within the laws and with the city laws and ordinances and to have this happen, you know, it is very devastating,” Manske said.

Much of the merchandise was seized from the store including items labeled by APD as 17.5 pounds of marijuana and over 3,500 pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes. Brittany Manske says these items are not what the Abilene Police say they are.

“They seized hemp, which is completely legal in the state of Texas. We’ve been here for six years. We were one of the first businesses that has come to Abilene, and we know what we stand behind 100%,” Manske said.  

Perhaps one of the biggest developments in this case was when Associate Municipal Judge for the City of Abilene and legal counsel for House of Healing, Attorney Chaile Allen, announced that she is resigning her position with the city and is claiming a constitutional violation made by the Abilene Police during this raid as a major reason behind her resignation.

“It’s an extremely serious claim. And it wasn’t a claim that was easy to make. After spending 6 hours in the heat on Saturday afternoon trying to get access to my client after he had requested to speak with his counsel repeatedly after being Mirandized and being questioned by the police department without his attorney present, it became a lot easier,” Allen said.

While many questions remained unanswered, store leadership and litigators are standing firm on the notion that they are on the right side of the law with Attorney Allen offering a warning to Abilene residents.

“Every citizen of Abilene should be really, really worried and really concerned. If this can happen to Mr. and Mrs. Manske, the owners of CBD House of Healing, it can happen to anybody,” Allen said.

In reaching out to the Abilene Police Department to get their take on this raid and Attorney Chaile Allen’s claim of a constitutional rights violation made by the department the Abilene Police responding with: “The department will let the media releases on this issue that were distributed answer any of the questions media may have regarding the investigation.” Those releases referring to the letter APD posted to the business in of July of this year and a news release on the City of Abilene’s website that was posted the day the raid occurred.