San Francisco plans to wipe out thousands of pot convictions
AP
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — San Francisco's district attorney said Wednesday that city prosecutors will toss out or reduce thousands of criminal convictions for marijuana dating back decades, a move allowed under the 2016 state ballot measure legalizing recreational sales of pot.
District Attorney George Gascon said his office will dismiss nearly 3,000 misdemeanor cases and review nearly 5,000 felony cases for possible action.
Proposition 64 legalized the recreational use of marijuana. It also allowed people convicted of marijuana charges to petition courts to toss out the cases or reduce penalties.\
Gascon says that process can be time-consuming and costly, so prosecutors in the district attorney's office plan to review and wipe out eligible cases en masse. Some people with convictions may not know they are eligible, Gascon said.
"A misdemeanor or felony conviction can have significant implications for employment, housing, and other benefits," Gascon said. He said prosecutors will review cases from 1975 through passage of Proposition 64 in Novembe.]
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