COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Despite the chilly temperatures and winds, dozens of Bob Crouse's supporters lined up outside of the El Paso County courthouse Monday to rally for the 63-year-old leukemia patient.

Crouse is facing two felony charges for cultivation and intent to distribute after growing his own marijuana plants to treat his illness. If convicted, he could get up to 12 years in prison.

"Bob is brave. Bob is fighting here. This is really what it boils down to," rally co-organizer Mark Slaugh said. "He's the one patient who's not afraid to stand up and say, 'I'm not going to take your plea bargain. I'm not going to say that I'm guilty because I'm doing what I'm supposed to and growing my plants and growing my medicine to help my disease.'"

Supporters said it all stems from discrepancies in paperwork. While Crouse was going back and forth with the state over becoming legalized, his home was raided and he was arrested.

"Bob had the recommendation for the proper amount of plants that he needed to produce this oil he was taking, that he still is taking for his cancer. He'd had his paperwork rejected several times from the state for various things like not writing out 'Colorado Springs' fully and writing things like 'CS' instead," supporter Char Richardson said. "So while this paperwork is being kicked back and forth between the state and him, you're not technically covered. It's a gray area, so that's why we're here, also to find that gray area so that this doesn't happen, and we don't have cancer patients fighting for their lives."

Crouse said waiting wasn't an option.

"This is life or death. That's why we're out here," Crouse said. "I shouldn't be out here in this wind. I'm a cancer patient. Cancer is trying to kill me, but I have to fight for my right to go back and fight for my life."

Originally, the rally was going to be held Monday because the trial would be starting then. However, it has now been pushed back.

"Bob's trial got moved last-minute last week, so he'll be going up on his birthday to face a trial and to face Dan May's prosecutory office," Slaugh announced to the supporters. "Every time you guys come out here, you're showing that you deserve the right to safe access within their own homes, to have the right to grow their own medicine to treat their conditions, and that's what's important. That's what we passed over 10 years ago."

Crouse said medical cannabis is his only treatment and form of medication, and he believes it's working.

"Fifty percent of the leukemia in my body is now gone because of medical cannabis," Crouse said. "My treatment program will take me to where I don't have leukemia anymore. I'm halfway there. I have a better quality of life because I'm a healthier person. For a sick person, freedom is health, and for cannabis patients, at least in my case, I don't have access to the medicine I need."

When asked for a comment, the District Attorney's office said they cannot comment on an ongoing investigation.