Ganjapreneur reports

In a follow-up to the state’s recent cannabis legalization policy, Connecticut’s chief state attorney’s office has dropped 1,562 possession charges as state lawmakers draft legislation to halt cannabis-specific prosecutions moving forward.

Connecticut’s chief state attorney’s office has dropped 1,562 cannabis possession charges following a review of more than 4,000 pending cases, CT Insider reports. The review and dismissal of cases came as state lawmakers are drafting a bill to order the state Division of Criminal Justice to stop prosecuting cannabis-only cases. The proposal is part of the follow-up to the full legalization of cannabis in Connecticut. 

Another 624 cases reviewed by Chief State’s Attorney Patrick J. Griffin’s prosecutors will be modified to drop cannabis from the overall charges. 

“It has been the shared position of this committee and the division that persons charged with a possession of a cannabis-type substance offense that has subsequently been decriminalized should not be prosecuted for that offense. Thus, identifying these cannabis cases could not be accomplished merely by conducting a computerized review of pending cases. The 4,248 cases statewide including 2,139 pending and 2,109 in re-arrest status. This was no small task and quite labor intensive.” — Griffin in a letter to the General Assembly’s Judiciary Committee via CT Insider 

In an interview with CT Insider, State Rep. Greg Howard (R), who is also a police officer, called the review “remarkable.” 

“…When the chief state’s attorney testified, he assured us that while the statute doesn’t specifically say that it was retroactive to pending cases, he understands the legislative intent,” Howard said, “he accepts that, and he has made that clear to all of his state’s attorneys and obviously they have been hard at work about that.” 

The bill ordering the criminal justice division to stop prosecuting cannabis cases last week passed the committee 27-10 along party lines. It moves next to the full chamber for consideration. 

Source: https://www.ganjapreneur.com/1500-pending-cannabis-cases-dropped-by-connecticut-chief-state-attorneys-office/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=millennials_and_gen_z_make_majority_of_legal_cannabis_purchases_new_mexico_first_year_cannabis_sales_hit_300k_and_more&utm_term=2023-04-05

Since legalizing recreational marijuana, the state of Missouri has granted more than 15,000 expungements at the misdemeanor and felony levels for nonviolent marijuana offenses.

That includes 65 in St. Louis City, 304 in St. Louis County, 55 in Jefferson County, and six in Franklin County. The Supreme Court of Missouri tells News 4 that St. Charles and Lincoln Counties had not reported any expungement data as of Tuesday morning.

More at

https://www.kmov.com/2023/03/21/more-than-15k-marijuana-convictions-expunged-since-recreational-legalization/

Certificate of Pardon for the Offense of Simple Possession of Marijuana on or before October 6, 2022

On October 6, 2022, President Biden issued a presidential proclamation that pardons federal convictions for simple marijuana possession offenses.

How a pardon can help you

A pardon is an expression of the President’s forgiveness. It does not signify innocence or expunge the conviction. But it may remove civil disabilities — such as restrictions on the right to vote, to hold office, or to sit on a jury — that are imposed because of the pardoned conviction. It may also be helpful in obtaining licenses, bonding, or employment. Learn more about the pardon

How to qualify for the pardon

You qualify for the pardon if:

• On or before October 6, 2022, you were charged with or convicted of simple possession of marijuana by either a federal or D.C. Superior court
• You were a U.S. citizen or lawfully present in the United States at the time of the offense
• You were a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident on October 6, 2022

Request a certificate to show proof of the pardon

A Certificate of Pardon is proof that you were pardoned under the proclamation. The certificate is the only documentation you will receive of the pardon.

What you’ll need for the request

About you

You must provide personal details like name, mailing address, email address, and citizenship status.

About the charge or conviction

You must state whether it was a charge or conviction, the court district where it happened, and the date (month, day, year). If possible, you should also:

• provide information about your case (docket or case number and the code section that was charged)
• provide copies of documentation, such as:
  • charging documents (indictment, complaint, or criminal information); or
  • conviction documents (judgment of conviction or the court docket sheet showing the sentence and date it was imposed)

Without this information, we can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to determine if you qualify for the pardon under the proclamation.

How to submit a request

The fastest way to submit a request is online through this website. If you send us the request form (PDF) by email or mail, it may take longer to process it.

You can submit a request for yourself or someone else can submit it on your behalf.

By email

Download the request form (PDF) and email the completed form to USPardon.Attorney@usdoj.gov. If you include charging or conviction documents with the request, attach PDF copies of them to the email.

By mail

Print the request form (PDF) and mail the completed form to:

U.S. Department of Justice
Office of the Pardon Attorney
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20530

If you are including charging or conviction documents with the request, send copies of them with the request form.

Online on this website

Read more  HERE