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Cincinnati City Council appears to be moving forward on a plan that could potentially wipe out 10,000 drug convictions. The ordinance would allow people who were convicted of possession of less than 100 grams of marijuana to have that conviction reclassified and sealed. For a few years, starting in 2006, Cincinnati actually had a stiffer penalty for possession of small amounts of marijuana than the state of Ohio. That's left thousands of people with convictions for possessing small amounts of pot that are classified as misdemeanors of the fourth degree.
Members of Cincinnati City Council's Law and Public Safety Committee heard Monday about the impact those old convictions can have on people's lives from Margie Slagle with the Public Defender's Office. "Your ability to find housing can be impacted by a small amount of marijuana, your ability to go to school, get an education can be impacted by a small amount of marijuana, your future career path can be adversely impacted," Slagle said.
Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell said he supports the effort to expunge these criminal offenses. He said if he was the chief of police back in 2006, he would not have asked for the stronger penalties that were put in place. Now he is asking for the expungement effort to move forward. "We're in support of anything that helps Cincinnati become a better city and we think that this, in fact, does that," Blackwell said.
Chairman of the Law and Public Safety Committee Christopher Smitherman said he hoped to move the ordinance out of committee today and put it before a full council on Wednesday. He urged people who want to be heard on the ordinance to come out for public comment. Smitherman is also hoping for a 9-0 unanimous vote by the full council. One of the skeptics of the plan, Councilmember Kevin Flynn, appears to be on board. He called himself one of the toughest questioners of the expungement effort, but today signaled his support.
He said for most people with these convictions served no time, but are now still feeling the effects. "The jail was too full, they didn't serve time, but yet the real problem with this ordinance is it's an M4 conviction on their record," Flynn said. The effort to expunge these low-level drug convictions has been championed by Councilmember Charlie Winburn. During the police chief's testimony, Winburn pointed out that this would not allow people off the hook on these drug convictions, because they've already been sentenced. It would simply allow their convictions to be downgraded, making them eligible to be sealed. "We're not talking about letting criminals off and that we're letting folk off, we're being soft on crime — no, we're being smart on crime," Winburn said.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Wlwt.com
Author: Andrew Setters
Contact: Contact Us
Website: City Council considers idea to let some pot convictions be expunged | Local News - WLWT Home
Members of Cincinnati City Council's Law and Public Safety Committee heard Monday about the impact those old convictions can have on people's lives from Margie Slagle with the Public Defender's Office. "Your ability to find housing can be impacted by a small amount of marijuana, your ability to go to school, get an education can be impacted by a small amount of marijuana, your future career path can be adversely impacted," Slagle said.
Cincinnati Police Chief Jeffrey Blackwell said he supports the effort to expunge these criminal offenses. He said if he was the chief of police back in 2006, he would not have asked for the stronger penalties that were put in place. Now he is asking for the expungement effort to move forward. "We're in support of anything that helps Cincinnati become a better city and we think that this, in fact, does that," Blackwell said.
Chairman of the Law and Public Safety Committee Christopher Smitherman said he hoped to move the ordinance out of committee today and put it before a full council on Wednesday. He urged people who want to be heard on the ordinance to come out for public comment. Smitherman is also hoping for a 9-0 unanimous vote by the full council. One of the skeptics of the plan, Councilmember Kevin Flynn, appears to be on board. He called himself one of the toughest questioners of the expungement effort, but today signaled his support.
He said for most people with these convictions served no time, but are now still feeling the effects. "The jail was too full, they didn't serve time, but yet the real problem with this ordinance is it's an M4 conviction on their record," Flynn said. The effort to expunge these low-level drug convictions has been championed by Councilmember Charlie Winburn. During the police chief's testimony, Winburn pointed out that this would not allow people off the hook on these drug convictions, because they've already been sentenced. It would simply allow their convictions to be downgraded, making them eligible to be sealed. "We're not talking about letting criminals off and that we're letting folk off, we're being soft on crime — no, we're being smart on crime," Winburn said.
News Moderator - The General @ 420 MAGAZINE ®
Source: Wlwt.com
Author: Andrew Setters
Contact: Contact Us
Website: City Council considers idea to let some pot convictions be expunged | Local News - WLWT Home
