LA County District Attorney To Dismiss 66,000 Cannabis Convictions

Almost 66,000 marijuana convictions in Los Angeles County are being dismissed, according to a Thursday announcement by District Attorney Jackie Lacey and the group Code for America.

The convictions fall under the category of those eligible for relief under Proposition 64.

The dismissals are he final stage of the five-county Clear My Record pilot program, which also includes San Francisco, San Joaquin, Contra Costa, and Sacramento counties. 

Collectively, these pilot programs should dismiss more than 85,000 marijuana convictions eligible for relief under Proposition 64.

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“The dismissal of tens of thousands of old cannabis-related convictions in Los Angeles County will bring much-needed relief to communities of color that disproportionately suffered the unjust consequences of our nation’s drug laws,” Lacey said in a statement.

“I am privileged to be part of a system dedicated to finding innovative solutions and implementing meaningful criminal justice reform that gives all people the support they need to build the life they deserve.”

The development shows that automatic record clearance is possible to complete at scale, and can help right the wrongs of the war on drugs, Evonne Silva, Code for America's senior program director of criminal justice, said in a statement. 

Evonne Silva, Code for America’s Senior Program Director of Criminal Justice also commented,

“Looking forward, Code for America stands at the ready to help all California counties provide this much needed relief in advance of the July 1, 2020 deadline.”