ZIP Advertisement 10,000 marijuana cases in New Orleans could be dismissed, pardoned under proposed council president's plan 10,000 marijuana cases in New Orleans could be dismissed, pardoned under proposed council plan Share Updated: 4:22 PM CDT May 13, 2021 10,000 marijuana cases in New Orleans could be dismissed, pardoned under proposed council plan Share Updated: 4:22 PM CDT May 13, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript GUIDE ON WDSU.COM. NOW TO A WDSU EXCLUSIVE ALMOST 10,000 PENDING MARIJUANA CASES AND CONVICTIONS IN NEW ORLEANS COULD SOON BE DISMISSED AND PARDONED IF THE CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT HAS HER WAY HELENA MORENO PLANS TO FILE SEVERAL ORDINANCES NEXT WEEK THAT WOULD FOR ALL PRACTICAL PURPOSES CLEAR THE RECORD OF ANYONE CONVICTED OF MISDEMEANOR SIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA, AND IF YOU’RE CURRENTLY CHARGED WITH THAT CRIME IN THE CITY THE CASE WILL BE DISMISSED. AT MUNICIPAL COURT THURSDAY MORNING LAWYERS WHO REPRESENT CLIENTS CHARGED WITH SIMPLE MARIJUANA POSSESSION WERE VERY HAPPY. THE COUNTRY IS MOVING IN A DIRECTION WHERE PEOPLE HAVE A DIFFERENT VIEW ON MARIJUANA THAN THEY DID 10 YEARS AGO THAT LOGIC STANDS UP AND THE FACT THAT SHOULD BE EASIER FOR PEOPLE TO CLEAR THEIR RECORD COUNCILWOMAN. HELENA MORENO SAYS, THIS IS ABOUT HAVING COPS FOCUS ON MAJOR CRIMES ACROSS THE CITY. THIS IS REALLY A BIG PUBLIC SAFETY PIECE. IT’S ABOUT PRIORITIZING HOW WE WANT TO SPEND OUR VERY PRECIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT MAN HOURS. THESE PROPOSED ORDINANCES WILL BE FILED AS THE STATE LEGISLATURE IS ALSO ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA IN BATON ROUGE A CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER IS PUSHING TO FULLY LEGALIZED STATEWIDE IN AN EFFORTS TO COLLECT MORE TAX REVENUE. THE GOP LEADER IN ORLEANS PARISH IS ON BOARD WITH MORENO’S IDEA WHEN WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SIMPLE POSSESSION CASES. LET’S CLEAR THESE OFF THE BOOKS. YOU KNOW, LET’S LET’S FOCUS ON ON THE REAL CRIMES THAT ARE THE REAL PROBLEM RIGHT NOW MORENO ALSO SAYS THE RACE DISPARITY PLAYS A ROLE IN HER DECISION TO MOVE FORWARD WITH PARDONS AND DISMISSALS FOR PAST CASES IN 2019 MORE THAN 2400 PEOPLE WERE CHARGED WITH SIMPLE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA. E6% OF THEM WERE BLACK IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT ANY STUDY IT SHOWS THAT USE AMONG RACES OR ETHNICITIES IS ALL IT’S PRETTY EQUAL WHEN IT COMES TO USE OF MARIJUANA. SO IT DIDN’T MAKE SENSE THAT THAT SO OVERWHELMINGLY IT WAS BLACK PEOPLE WHO WERE GETTING THESE TICKETS MORENO ALSO SAYS THE DA AND MAYOR ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THIS IDEA. THIS ISN’T GOING TO BE JUST AN IMMEDIATE THING THAT JUST HAPPENS AND GETS DONE TOMORROW. WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO. THIS IS THE INITIAL PROPOSAL. THE PROPOSAL WILL BE FILED NEXT WEEK AND DEBATED IN THE NEXT MONTH TO SIX WEEKS BY THE FULL COUNCIL.