District attorneys refuse to prosecute some GOP-led laws

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — When Republican lawmakers in Tennessee blocked a policy to ease up on low-level marijuana cases, Nashville's top prosecutor decided on a workaround: He just didn't charge anyone with the crime.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, the Gwinnett County solicitor vowed not to punish anyone for the crime of distributing food or water to voters in line. Tampa’s chief prosecutor says a law that allows law enforcement to detain protesters until their court date is “an assault on our democracy.” And a district attorney in Douglas County, Kansas, promised not to enforce a new state law that makes it harder for nonpartisan groups and neighbors and candidates to collect and return absentee ballots for voters.

Progressive prosecutors around the country are increasingly declaring they just won’t enforce some GOP-backed state laws, a strategy at work in response to some of the most controversial new changes in recent years — near-total abortion bans, voting restrictions, limits on certain protest activity, laws aimed at LGBTQ people, and restrictions on mask requirements.

The elected law enforcement leaders say they’re just doing what is right as support has grown for changing a system they believe has relied too heavily on locking people up, particularly for low-level, nonviolent offenses.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/district-attorneys-refuse-to-prosecute-some-gop-led-laws/ar-AAPGquM

[joetheman]

1. GOP Congress critters and Trump supporters are not the only one who can ignore the law. Time

to give as good as we have to take. Keep electing those Dems in all governing levels at the down ticket levels.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

2. In Alaska, the legislature passed a law requiring defendants to be charged with the

highest level of a crime, e.g., intent to distribute marijuana instead of mere possession. It also required that the maximum possible sentence always be given; neither the prosecutor nor judge had any discretion anymore. In response, every criminal defense attorney -- including public defenders --demanded jury trials for all their clients. Since there was no possibility of pleading to a lesser offense they had nothing to lose. The effect was that the court dockets were overwhelmed. Among the practical matters were summoning enough people from which to create a jury pool, and having enough courtrooms, judges and court reporters to put on trials.

As far as Georgia is concerned, I would make sure there was a television camera crew present when I got arrested for handing out water to voters standing on line. Or I would have 50 people do it simultaneously. Or both.

There's always a way to work around stupid laws.