Tag: mrta
Law360: After ‘Dragging Their Feet,’ Bronx DA To Drop Pot Charges
“Eli Northrup, an attorney with the Bronx Defenders, however, told Law360 on Thursday morning that the DA’s office has agreed in conversations with public defenders to identify and dismiss open marijuana cases involving expungeable offenses under the MRTA. In a phone call last week with Ann Mathews, the director of the Bronx Defenders’ criminal practice, Chief […]
Cannabis NewsWire: Public Defenders Accuse Bronx DA of Dragging Feet on Dropping Pending Cannabis Cases
“Despite the passage of the recreational cannabis law, those cases are still hovering over people’s heads, says Eli Northrup, a lawyer from Bronx Defenders. For instance, 41 people from the Bronx have been arraigned before court on marijuana charges, and their court dates are coming up. There are also cases involving individuals who, after being arrested, were […]
Gothamist: Bronx DA Slow To Drop Open Marijuana Cases After Legalization, Public Defenders Say
“The Bronx Defenders sent a letter to Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark’s office on April 20th—three weeks after the law was passed—urging her to begin acting in accordance with the law. The letter estimated there were “hundreds” of pending cases in the Bronx in which the most serious charges were criminal sale or possession of […]
The Riverdale Press: Advocates applaud New York legalizing marijuana
“A number of the neighborhoods that were most targeted for marijuana enforcement are out here in the Bronx,” said Eli Northrup, a policy lawyer for The Bronx Defenders, a public defender non-profit that helps low-income Bronx residents. “We represent people every day who are affected by marijuana convictions. Even if marijuana policing has gone down […]
Insider: For advocates, New York’s new legal weed bill is a major victory against racist drug sentencing
“As a public defender, Eli Northrup and the organization he works for, the Bronx Defenders, represented thousands of young Black and brown community members facing life-altering marijuana possession charges. Northrup joined the fight to legalize marijuana in New York after witnessing countless lives destroyed over minor marijuana convictions while “mothers in the Upper East Side […]
Spectrum News1: New Marijuana Law Expunges Convictions for Many
“Some experts recommend those with certain immigration statuses who might benefit from expungement to talk to a lawyer. Eli Northrup with The Bronx Defenders says communities of color have been largely impacted by marijuana laws. “Even though, white people, people of color use [marijuana] at similar rates, people of color are the ones arrested, convicted […]
News12 The Bronx: Gov. Cuomo signs bill legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in the state
“Eli Northup, an attorney for The Bronx Defenders, says the decision is long overdue. “If you ever had a conviction for a marijuana offense and that behavior is now legal, that record is automatically expunged,” Northup says. “You don’t have to do anything.” Read the full article here
Gothamist: “Can I Smoke Weed On The Street?”: What You Need To Know About Legal Marijuana In NY
“It’s a violation to sell any amount of marijuana unlawfully under the MRTA, but harsh penalties for selling lower amounts have been removed. “Because there’s no regulated market, you would be subject to a criminal violation and a fine of up to $250, if you sell any amount under 3 ounces,” said Eli Northrup, policy […]
New York Daily News: N.Y. state lawmakers finalize deal on legalizing recreational marijuana
“Public defenders praised the legislation. “Marijuana justice means working to undo the immense damage done by the war on drugs and ensuring that the communities most impacted by prohibition — including many here in the Bronx — have a chance to benefit from legalization as well,” Eli Northrup of the Bronx Defenders said in a […]
PIX11: Inside the deal to legalize marijuana in New York
“Eli Northup is an attorney with the Bronx Defenders. He hopes the deal will also include a provision to automatically wipe out past marijuana convictions from criminal records. “Marijuana convictions can affect people in all these different ways outside of the criminal context, in the child welfare system, when you’re applying for housing, education, there’s […]