Pubdate: Wed, 09 Jul 2014
Source: Washington Times (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Times, LLC.
Contact:  http://www.washingtontimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/492
Page: A7

BROOKLYN DA SAYS HE WON'T PROSECUTE MINOR POT CASES

NEW YORK (AP) - Many of the thousands of people arrested on low-level
marijuana possession charges in Brooklyn will likely get the cases
dropped before even going to court, District Attorney Kenneth Thompson
announced Tuesday in a novel move to reduce the load of pot cases in
the nation's largest city.

Many such cases have historically gotten dismissed anyway. But Mr.
Thompson's new policy marks a departure by nixing the cases up front,
sending a message that a DA wants to pull back from a spike in
marijuana arrests citywide in recent decades.

"Given that these cases are ultimately - and predictably - dismissed,
the burdens that they pose on the system and the individual are
difficult to justify," he said. "We are pouring money into an endeavor
that produces no public safety benefit."

Critics of the arrests have long made that argument, and some of the
city's four other DAs have also expressed reservations. The Bronx and
Manhattan DAs have backed legislative proposals to ease the
bottom-tier pot possession law. But some DA offices, including Staten
Island's, note that their task is enforcing the laws.
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