Criminal Justice

“April 20 is making its rounds again this year. But it isn’t a celebration for me. Far from it. I will again spend it locked in a ten-by-twelve prison cell, going through the motions of another long and tedious day, feeling the deprivation of my freedom.”

Another federal judge ruled last week that the federal ban on cannabis consumers possessing firearms is unconstitutional.

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.

Bell County, Texas District Attorney Henry Garza has requested Killeen Police Chief Charles Kimble to resume making arrests for low-level cannabis possession, even though voters passed a resolution to end enforcement.

Brittney Griner’s nine-year sentence for possession of two cannabis vape cartridges was upheld by a Russian court on Tuesday.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) said the state will issue pardons to individuals convicted of low-level cannabis possession charges.

During a Monday appearance on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers,’ Vice President Kamala Harris (D) said no one should be sent to jail for smoking cannabis. The statement came the week after President Biden issued federal pardons for cannabis possession.

Prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York are looking to dismiss 378 cases that originally stemmed from 13 NYPD officers who have since been convicted of falsifying records and other crimes. 

An Alabama woman was held in Etowah County Detention Center for three months after saying she smoked cannabis on the day she learned she was pregnant.

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and Lieutenant Gov. John Fetterman have announced the PA Marijuana Pardon Project is accepting applications for a one-time, large-scale pardoning project for people with minor, non-violent cannabis convictions.

The Illinois Equal Justice Foundation has awarded $1.4 million in grants to 18 organizations to help expunge cannabis-related criminal records.

Lawyers for Brittney Griner read a medical certificate showing she had been recommended medical cannabis by U.S. doctors during a court session in Russia.

Democratic senators from four U.S. states sent a letter to President Joe Biden calling for his administration to deschedule cannabis and issue pardons to all individuals convicted of non-violent cannabis crimes. 

WNBA all-star Brittney Griner pleaded guilty to cannabis possession in Russia. Following the plea, Griner now faces up to 10 years in prison.

Brittney Griner’s trial began today for allegedly smuggling cannabis vape cartridges into Russia and faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.  

The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled to uphold a life sentence prison term for a man in possession of fewer than two ounces of cannabis.

Russia says it has extended the detention of American WNBA star Brittney Griner, who was caught allegedly bringing cannabis vape cartridges into the country, until July 2.

Bernie Sanders called the U.S. criminal justice system “racist” and “unjust,” and called out the Justice Department for focusing on cannabis instead of white-collar crimes and business offenses.

A recent Department of Justice report shows a continuous downward trend for federal cannabis arrests since 2010.

Cleveland, Ohio officials have filed motions to expunge over 4,000 cannabis-related criminal convictions dating back to 2017.

GOP lawmakers in Virginia rejected a bill that would have allowed for the review and resentencing of cannabis-related crimes.

WNBA star Brittney Griner was detained in Russia last week after customs discovered vape cartridges said to contain cannabis oil in her luggage at the border.