Erie County District Attorney John Flynn is dismissing a number of outstanding bench warrants for low-level marijuana offenses.
Flynn says 35 of these kinds of warrants, issued between April 2009 and October 2018, are being dimissed. The charges include criminal possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of marijuana.
“I don’t think it’s fair for someone to have a charge hanging over their head when it may very well be legal a month from now. It’s in the interest of justice,” Flynn said.
DA John Flynn speaking on dismissing low level marijuana crimes https://t.co/xkgEfMbxTj— Marissa Perlman (@MPerlman4) February 22, 2019
During his 2019 State of the City Address, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown announced that he ordered the Buffalo Police Department to stop enforcing low-level marijuana crimes.
Flynn plans to continue dismissing similar warrants throughout the county.
“As legalization discussions continue in Albany, I am relieving a burden on those individuals who may have these charges hanging over their heads in the interest of justice,” Flynn said. “I do not believe people should find themselves in the criminal justice system and unable to apply for employment, student loans, or other services because of a low-level marijuana charge.”
