Manhattan follows Brooklyn’s lead, stops prosecution of minor marijuana cases
Fewer people will be prosecuted for marijuana offenses in New York City due to a new policing policy announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio earlier this week. The new course of action comes months after Brooklyn District Attorney Kenneth Thompson announced an analogous effort for Brooklyn prosecutions.
“I applaud the mayor’s decision to no longer arrest first-time offenders or individuals found in possession of small amounts of marijuana citywide, similar to the approach that I have taken in Brooklyn,” Thompson said in a statement Monday.
Under the city’s policy set to take effect Nov. 19, instead of being arrested for misdemeanor charges that carry potential punishments of up to three months in jail, many people will get court summonses and face non-criminal violations punishable by fines starting at $100.