King County, WA (Seattle area) prosecutor dismissing all misdemeanor pot cases

[kpete]

The King County Prosecutor’s Office says it will be dismissing all of its misdemeanor marijuana possession cases as a result of the passage of Initiative 502 legalizing marijuana possession of one ounce or less in Washington state.

The decision will impact 175 King County cases involving individuals age 21 and older accused of possessing one ounce or less of marijuana, said Dan Donohoe, spokesman for the Prosecutor's Office.

With the passage of I-502, marijuana possession of one ounce or less by individuals age 21 and older will become legal in the state on Dec. 6.

King County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Satterberg said that dismissing these cases is the right thing to do in light of Tuesday’s vote.

much more:
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Changing-times-Politicians-tears-more-common-now-178188531.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/11/09/1159746/-King-County-WA-Seattle-area-prosecutor-dismissing-all-misdemeanor-pot-cases

[Scuba]

1. And those already convicted? Pardons???

[hobbit709]

3. That would have to come from the governor.

[rhett o rick]

4. It would be a great act for the retiring Governor. nm

[silvershadow]

8. ^This. nt

[librechik]

2. that's very encouraging--Hickenlooper and the Wa State gov met with Holder today

tot see what will happen next

glad to see that is the trend up there!

[msongs]

5. glad to see holder has nothing important to investigate, like, say election fraud nt

[RainDog]

6. k&r n/t

[UnrepentantLiberal]

7. Cool.

[Matariki]

9. I <3 Washington

[sarcasmo]

10. Way to go Dan Satterberg.

[SCVDem]

11. Cost savings from day 1 nt

[BlueMan Votes]

12. i wish he could dismiss mine...

but i'm not in washington.

BUT- The prosecutors have apparently lost the original complaint form- so it may just be dismissed at my next court date anyway.

[Downtown Hound]

13. How about making this retroactive

and clear everybody hampered by a conviction for this relatively benign substance? 40 years of drug warfare have done untold harm to millions.

[DebbieCDC]

14. Very good news for those folks with pending cases

Very bad news is that they are announcing on local radio here that just because the law goes into effect on December 6, it is going to take the state a year or more to come up with all the rules and regulations for selling/taxing weed.

I would have thought these issues just MIGHT have been thought about BEFORE now?

[mikeiddy]

15. Meanwhile, on the red side of the state, not so much . . .

Jack Driscoll, chief criminal deputy Spokane County prosecutor, said the passage of the law has several local prosecutors trying to figure out how to proceed. But, he said, one thing is certain: Nothing will change quickly.

Driscoll said he expects the state to take more than a year to set up the framework for how the law will allow residents to purchase and possess marijuana. Washington residents 21 and older can’t just start carrying small amounts of marijuana at the first of the year.

“The only thing that is legal is selling marijuana through those stores,” Driscoll said. “That will be regulated by the state. You can’t under this initiative have an ounce of marijuana that doesn’t come from a state-issued provider. You still can’t have black-market marijuana.

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/nov/08/first-dance-with-mary-jane/

[maxsolomon]

16. And the stores won't be running until the Liquor Control Board issues regulations

Which won't happen until December 2013.

Until then, it's illegal to grow, sell, and buy, unless you've got a Green Card. But you can possess it, but apparently only by materializing an ounce of weed from thin air.

This ain't over. The fight has barely begun. The 1st injunction looms.

[TransitJohn]

17. America! Fuck yeah!

Love it.

[liberal_at_heart]

18. that's great

It will take time to see how good or bad this law is. Adults over the age of 21 won't be prosecuted anymore but DUIs will probably go through the roof and those unfortunate enough to be 16-20 may lose their chance at college or a job. We shall see. I hope it turns out okay for all involved.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. We're spending a fortune ruining people's lives to impose the temperance movement...

They might have had a convincing argument with alcohol claiming a ban would lower spousal abuse but all a ban on weed does is lower munchie abuse.

[MH1]

20. Has anyone given a credible estimate of the cost savings

of not prosecuting / punishing those cases?

It would be nice to point that figure out to any concerned taxpayers.