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11,017 people in Illinois with low-level marijuana convictions had their records expunged on #NewYearsEve.

Marijuana will be legal there starting January 1, and they're the first of ~116,000 people set to have their possession convictions pardoned under the new law.
Black people are over 3x more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than white people, says an @ACLU study of 2001-10 policing.

That’s despite similar usage rates.

In Illinois, the disparity was even higher (Black people were almost 8x more likely to be arrested).
@ACLU 11 states + DC have legalized recreational marijuana, and several are expunging possession convictions.

According to the @ACLU:
- 574K arrests for drug possession in 2015 alone
- Black people 2.5x more likely to be arrested
- Convictions block people from jobs, loans + benefits
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More from @ajplus see all

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AJ+
@ajplus
#2019 is being hailed as the year of the street protester. From Baghdad to Hong Kong, here are eight protest songs that rocked the resistance: (1/9)
In Iraq, @Hussamofficial’s viral anthem “Abu al-Tuktuk” pays homage to tuk-tuk drivers, who’ve transported scores of injured and dying protesters to hospitals & clinics. It includes the lyrics: “We are the heroes of the nation & we don’t fear death” (2/9)
@Residente, @ilevitable & @sanbenito dragged Puerto Rico’s governor amid mass protests over long-simmering grievances on the island two years after Hurricane Maria: “Your apologies are drowned in the rainwater/ In houses that still have no roof” (3/9)
Read 9 tweets
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AJ+
@ajplus
Benjamin Netanyahu made history today, becoming the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be indicted on corruption. He is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust in three separate cases.

@MairavZ explores the consequences: (1/11)
@MairavZ In the 63-page indictment, Netanyahu is charged with striking deals with media giants in exchange for positive coverage and receiving lavish gifts from Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan in exchange for political favors. (2/11)
aljazeera.com/news/2019/11/e…
Israel’s attorney general, who has been investigating the cases for months, said on Thursday he made the decision with “a heavy heart, but wholeheartedly,” adding it isn’t an issue of left or right politics. (3/11)
Read 11 tweets
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AJ+
@ajplus
The Supreme Court starts hearings today to decide the fate of #DACA, after President Trump rescinded it.

The program:
▪️ protects 700K young people brought to the U.S. from deportation
▪️ gives them access to work and study permits
▪️ is supported by 2/3 of Americans
Most #DACA recipients came to the U.S. as small children.

Ending the program could send many back to countries they barely know.
Who qualifies for #DACA?

The program is available to an estimated 1.3M people under 30 who:
▪️ Arrived undocumented in the U.S. as children
▪️ Pass background and criminal record checks
▪️ Graduated from or are enrolled in school
Read 6 tweets

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James Mitchell Ⓥ
@MesMitch
Illinois governor pardons 11,000 for low-level marijuana convictions
Democrat JB Pritzker says pardons represent first wave of thousands expected under state’s new marijuana legalization law
Illinois governor JB Pritzker granted more than 11,000 pardons for low-level marijuana convictions on Tuesday, describing the step as a first wave of thousands of such expungements anticipated under the state’s new marijuana legalization law.
The expungement process is a key part of the law, which takes effect on Wednesday and makes Illinois the 11th state to legalize marijuana for people 21 or older.
Read 7 tweets
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Jesse Kirsch
@JesseKirschABC7
RIGHT NOW: @GovPritzker announces 11,000+ pardons for people “whose low-level cannabis convictions have held them back from good jobs, housing and financial aid for college,” governor’s release said. Recreational #marijuana becomes legal in Illinois tomorrow. More @ABC7Chicago.
Every one of the 11,017 being pardoned was convicted for “up to 30 grams not associated with a violent offense,” per gov’s office, which explains process: state police ID’d eligible convictions ➡️ prison review board verifies ➡️ gov. pardons ➡️ AG files for expungements.
Here’s more on today’s announcement: abc7.ws/2ZDU1W2
Read 3 tweets
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Texas Tribune
@TexasTribune
1/ Many Texans are seeing their marijuana possession cases dismissed because of a new law legalizing hemp.

Texas State Troopers were told to stop arresting people for low-level pot possession.

What's going on here?

#txlege bit.ly/2ZgVuzE
2/ The new law changed the definition of marijuana.

The law didn’t decriminalize small amounts of marijuana, but it legalized hemp and hemp-derived products, like CBD oil. #txlege bit.ly/2zenWaM
3/ But here's the problem: this law has made it difficult for law enforcement to tell if a substance is marijuana or hemp.

State crime labs say they don’t have the resources to detect the difference between the two. bit.ly/2zenWaM
Read 9 tweets
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Henry Newman
@HenryNewman
One of the things about working around politics now (especially on Brexit) is that I have friends on all sides of debate

@NickBoles has put forward a Norway Plus plan to try to deliver referendum result in a divided commons

A thread on why I respect it but think it's flawed 👇
1/ Although I think it's flawed I recognise Nick & Oliver put it forward in a genuine spirit of compromise and not to obfuscate the referendum

(It's depressing how other MPs less committed to Referendum are happy to trash this soft Brexit plan because they want to stop Brexit)
2/ In #January 2017, when I was first appointed at @OpenEurope, I was fan of leaving via Norway/EEA

I recall discussing it with @CER_Grant but also with many key Leavers

It would have been a sensible staging post & provided a better transition to work out our long term position
Read 21 tweets
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
Happy Saturday everyone! Preparing for a day in court. 9-5 arraignment shift. Meeting everyone arrested in Brooklyn within the last 24-48 hours. Why? Because mass incarceration doesn’t get a day of rest in the fourth largest city in America. Follow along for observations.
Necessary ammunition:

1. Coffee
2. To-go coffee
3. Water
4. Ibuprofen just in case
5. Phone charger
6. Court ID
7. Pens
8. Biz cards
9. Memobook
10. Legal pad
11. Blank notices (more on that below)
12. Calendar (google printouts bc I lost my calendar this week)
These are my blank “notices of appearance.” They represent the unknown humans who I’ll soon meet & the stories that they’ll soon share. New York AGAINST ___________. They’ll just be a docket number to the court. Just a charge & record to prosecution. My job is to individualize.
Read 28 tweets
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Scott Hechinger
@ScottHech
NYPD always claims that it’s complaints (911 & 311 calls) that drive racially disproportionate marijuana arrests. Nope. As we legalization advocates been screaming about for years, it’s actually just racism. See: this important @nytimes study out today. nyti.ms/2IdyUUX
“Across the city, black people were arrested on low-level marijuana charges at 8 times the rate of white people over the last 3 years. Hispanic people were arrested at 5 times rate of white people. In Manhattan, Black people were arrested at 15 times the rate of white people.”
“In Brooklyn, officers in the precinct covering Canarsie arrested people at a rate more than 4 times as high as in the precinct that includes Greenpoint, despite residents calling 311/911 to complain about marijuana at same rate. Canarsie is 85% black. Greenpoint is 4% black.”
Read 14 tweets

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