More On:
marijuana
NY will be buzzing with union jobs thanks to upcoming pot industry
Cuomo’s slow rollout of legalized weed becoming a real buzzkill, critics say
Cannabis abuse linked to higher risk of schizophrenia: study
Schumer rolls out pot legalization bill despite
Biden opposition
Brooklyn’s district attorney Tuesday moved to toss out more than 3,500 outstanding marijuana-related warrants — some dating back to the 1970s.
The effort by DA Eric Gonzalez comes four months after he pushed for and won the dismissal of 857 prostitution offenses, which his office no longer prosecutes.
Gonzalez noted in a statement Tuesday that the state legalized recreational pot use in March, seven years after his office stopped prosecuting weed possession and nearly four years since they hounded ganja smokers.
“For too long, criminalization of marijuana has disproportionately impacted young people and communities of color whose members made up about 90% of those arrested,’’ the DA said in the release.
“These arrests ruined the lives of thousands of people over the years, saddling many with criminal convictions that prevented them from pursuing opportunities in life.’’
A judge Tuesday granted the DA’s request to dismiss the 3,578 pending marijuana cases, including some dating back four decades. The cases will be wiped off the books within the next few months, a DA rep told The Post.
That leaves only eight arrests involving pot-related DUI charges still in the system in Brooklyn Criminal Court.
The other boroughs have all moved in the same direction regarding prostitution and marijuana cases.
Share this article:
Source: Read Full Article
