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San Francisco dismissing 3000+ misdemeanor convictions for marijuana (1975-Present)

UNCjigga

UNCjigga

Lifer
Prosecutors in San Francisco will throw out thousands of marijuana-related convictions of residents dating back to 1975.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón said Wednesday that his office will dismiss and seal 3,038 misdemeanor convictions dating back before the state's legalization of marijuana went into effect, with no action necessary from those who were convicted.

Prosecutors will also review up to 4,940 felony convictions and consider reducing them to misdemeanors.
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https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo...to-dismiss-thousands-of-marijuana-convictions

Wow, I could be wrong but I think this could be the biggest retroactive decriminalization effort to date.

San Francisco had an especially rough history with marijuana convictions...hundreds of men dying of AIDS started a marijuana club for medical purposes and were convicted of marijuana offenses that cost them jobs and livelihood. Eventually their plight helped lead the way for California becoming the first State to allow medical marijuana.
 
Definitely raises some interesting questions with retroactively adjusting convictions...

For example, take a look a theft convictions. There is generally a value amount to differentiate between felony and misdemeanor. If the felony amount is raised, which happens every now and then (for example, Maryland used to be $250 then it was $500 and now it is $1,000 and they are looking to raise it to $2,500 now), can those convicted as felonies for stealing $750 worth of stuff a few years ago now have their conviction changed to a misdemeanor?

- Merg
 
I don't like marijuana, don't use it, don't need it. But it should never have been illeagal. The cost to society of enforcement is far greater than people smoking it, and devouring a few bags of chips. It may have some medicianal uses as well, but we can't really research them properly, since it's a schedule A drug. Something else that makes no sense at all.
 
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Actually taking someone to jail for smoking weed is pretty silly even to me even when the law isn't applied in an overtly discriminatory fashion. I think a fine for its public use and nothing for simple possession would be much more practical. That way, if it is disturbing someone then they have a legal recourse. I would like it rescheduled so that we have capacity to do much higher quality medical research and drug development.
 
The Merg said:
Definitely raises some interesting questions with retroactively adjusting convictions...

For example, take a look a theft convictions. There is generally a value amount to differentiate between felony and misdemeanor. If the felony amount is raised, which happens every now and then (for example, Maryland used to be $250 then it was $500 and now it is $1,000 and they are looking to raise it to $2,500 now), can those convicted as felonies for stealing $750 worth of stuff a few years ago now have their conviction changed to a misdemeanor?

- Merg
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This isnt about theft.
 
JSt0rm said:
This isnt about theft.
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I realize that. I was pointing out how going back and adjusting prior convictions could lead to some interesting legal issues. If prior felony convictions for marijuana can be amended to misdemeanors, why not for other crimes? That was my point.

- Merg
 
The Merg said:
I realize that. I was pointing out how going back and adjusting prior convictions could lead to some interesting legal issues. If prior felony convictions for marijuana can be amended to misdemeanors, why not for other crimes? That was my point.

- Merg
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because other crimes arent legal?
 
The Merg said:
I realize that. I was pointing out how going back and adjusting prior convictions could lead to some interesting legal issues. If prior felony convictions for marijuana can be amended to misdemeanors, why not for other crimes? That was my point.

- Merg
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They could, in theory. But they won't. There is no support for mass commuting sentences for theft from misdemeanors to felonies, and no reason whatsoever to do it. 404 no slippery slope found here.
 
woolfe9998 said:
They could, in theory. But they won't. There is no support for mass commuting sentences for theft from misdemeanors to felonies, and no reason whatsoever to do it. 404 no slippery slope found here.
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also inflation, i guess thats part of the reason to move the $value in the first place?
 
woolfe9998 said:
They could, in theory. But they won't. There is no support for mass commuting sentences for theft from misdemeanors to felonies, and no reason whatsoever to do it. 404 no slippery slope found here.
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I agree. Smoking a joint doesn't harm the rights of anyone. Stealing / violent crime does. There is a big difference there.
 
The Merg said:
I realize that. I was pointing out how going back and adjusting prior convictions could lead to some interesting legal issues. If prior felony convictions for marijuana can be amended to misdemeanors, why not for other crimes? That was my point.

- Merg
Click to expand...

California already has a process to drop certain felonies to misdemeanours, and then often you can have the misdemeanour dismissed.
 
woolfe9998 said:
They could, in theory. But they won't. There is no support for mass commuting sentences for theft from misdemeanors to felonies, and no reason whatsoever to do it. 404 no slippery slope found here.
Click to expand...

I’m not talking about commuting sentences per se. But take Maryland for instance, you are convicted 2 years ago for felony theft with an amount of $750. The limit is then changed to $1,000. Why shouldn’t your conviction be changed to a misdemeanor?

And while there is no push right now, once it is done for one charge, why not another one?

- Merg
 
The Merg said:
I’m not talking about commuting sentences per se. But take Maryland for instance, you are convicted 2 years ago for felony theft with an amount of $750. The limit is then changed to $1,000. Why shouldn’t your conviction be changed to a misdemeanor?

And while there is no push right now, once it is done for one charge, why not another one?

- Merg
Click to expand...
All crimes aren't equal?
 
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