Amid the recent vote to legalize marijuana in New York, Westchester County prosecutors are again further limiting the number of criminal cases involving the drug that they will be prosecuting.
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah said on Monday that her office is dismissing all marijuana cases involving felony and misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession or sale. That coincides with the state’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana, which will soon automatically expunge many drug convictions in New York.
Westchester has dismissed 184 cases involving marijuana, Rocah’s office said. Though her office said that included dismissing felonies, it was not clear whether felony cases would continue to be prosecuted going forward. The DA’s office said it will not prosecute future misdemeanors or violations.
“The new law legalized personal cannabis use for people over 21. Accordingly, the DA’s office will not prosecute marijuana possession or sale cases if they fall below the 3oz limit as set by the new law and we will continue to evaluate cases that come in above that limit, as we always do,” Jessica Vecchiarelli, a spokeswoman for Rocah’s office, told The Journal News/lohud in an email Tuesday.
“Dismissing all marijuana cases, including underlying bench warrants, has been a priority of mine, and the legislature’s repeal of Article 221 was long overdue,” Rocah said in a statement on Monday. “The decriminalization of marijuana possession is critical given the…
Original Author Link click here to read complete story..
Amid the recent vote to legalize marijuana in New York, Westchester County prosecutors are again further limiting the number of criminal cases involving the drug that they will be prosecuting.
Westchester District Attorney Mimi Rocah said on Monday that her office is dismissing all marijuana cases involving felony and misdemeanor charges of marijuana possession or sale. That coincides with the state’s recent legalization of recreational marijuana, which will soon automatically expunge many drug convictions in New York.
Westchester has dismissed 184 cases involving marijuana, Rocah’s office said. Though her office said that included dismissing felonies, it was not clear whether felony cases would continue to be prosecuted going forward. The DA’s office said it will not prosecute future misdemeanors or violations.
“The new law legalized personal cannabis use for people over 21. Accordingly, the DA’s office will not prosecute marijuana possession or sale cases if they fall below the 3oz limit as set by the new law and we will continue to evaluate cases that come in above that limit, as we always do,” Jessica Vecchiarelli, a spokeswoman for Rocah’s office, told The Journal News/lohud in an email Tuesday.
“Dismissing all marijuana cases, including underlying bench warrants, has been a priority of mine, and the legislature’s repeal of Article 221 was long overdue,” Rocah said in a statement on Monday. “The decriminalization of marijuana possession is critical given the…