Philly Saved $2 Million by Not Prosecuting Small-Time Potheads

-WAR ON DRUGS-

Max Read — Hello, cities facing a budget crisis! If you would like to spend less money, might we suggest not taking small-time marijuana busts to court? Philadelphia did it last year, and the city saved $2 million. Plus, think of all the money you can make if you tax Snoballs!

 If you're caught possessing fewer than 30 grams of weed (that's, like, a whole ounce!) in Philadelphia, cops now treat the bust "as a summary offense, rather than a misdemeanor." Though the misdemeanor charge wasn't particularly harsh—maximum penalty: 30 days in jail and $500 fine—it required the city to prosecute, costing the district attorney's office money and time. It also left those busted with a criminal record.

The summary offense meanwhile, allows people to "pay $200 for a three-hour class about drug abuse, and their record is expunged," with "[n]o trial, no judge, no court-appointed defense attorneys, no prosecutor, no lab tests." Cops say that the new policy "doesn't appear to be having any noticeable impact on the city's quality of life," too.
GAWKER 

Plaxico says his legal troubles were “totally blown out of proportion” posted by Mike Florio

Former Steelers and Giants receiver Plaxico Burress continues to make the media rounds.  Most recently, he appeared on Good Day New York — and he discussed once again the very bad night that culminated in his incarceration.

“I believe it was totally blown out of proportion,” Burress said, per the New York Post.  “I believe with everything that was said by the mayor and the media . . . that it was just over-generalized and I think it went a little further than it needed to go.  But at the same time, I was accountable for my actions.”

Burress is referring to his decision to take a loaded gun into a Manhattan nightclub, and the inadvertent firing of the weapon.  It easily can be argued that the punishment didn’t fit the crime, since the bullet struck no one other than Burress.  But it also can be argued that the goal of the law that put Burress, as Mayor Michael Bloomberg called it, “in the slammer” for an extended stretch has a goal of ensuring that accidents don’t happen.

Still, the fact that Burress did roughly the same amount of time as Mike Vick even though Vick admitted to gambling, dogfighting, and the killing of dogs deemed unfit to die while fighting other dogs, it’s easy to conclude that Burress got the short end of the legal stick.
NBC Sports 

'Barefoot Bandit' to change not guilty plea by CNN Wire Staff June 17, 2011

Colton Harris-Moore, also known as the "Barefoot Bandit," is expected to plead guilty to charges stemming from his 2-year run from authorities.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Colton Harris-Moore pleaded not guilty to several federal charges last week
• Lawyer: A draft of plea agreement was being worked on last week
• Harris-Moore is accused of stealing boats, cars, and planes while eluding police
• A possible book and movie deals are in the works

(CNN) -- Colton Harris-Moore, whom authorities have dubbed the "Barefoot Bandit," will be in a Seattle courtroom Friday to change the not guilty plea he entered earlier.

The alleged "Barefoot Bandit" entered a not guilty plea during a federal court appearance June 9.
At the time, a lawyer representing him said attorneys were working on the details of a plea agreement.
Harris-Moore gained notoriety and earned his nickname for allegedly leading police on a two-year manhunt while eluding capture in stolen boats, cars and planes -- usually while barefoot.

In May, a federal judge added bank robbery to an indictment that contains several other federal charges stemming from Harris-Moore's capture in the Bahamas last year. Four of the charges are punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

2010: 'Barefoot bandit' suspect caught

2010: Who is 'barefoot bandit' suspect?

RELATED TOPICS

• Crime

His attorney, John Henry Browne, told reporters a draft of a plea agreement was close to being finished last week.

The negotiations included his client paying money for restitution, Browne said. The amount would likely be about $1.3 million, Browne said.

Browne stressed that his 20-year-old client wants any money generated from a likely book or movie deals to go to the victims.

"There's a lot of interest, there's active negotiations," Browne said. "He really doesn't want publicity, but regardless of whether Colton cooperates or not, there is going to be a movie made about (him), there will be other books written about him. That's going to happen no matter what."

As the "Barefoot Bandit," Harris-Moore garnered a loyal and outspoken fan base on Facebook -- at one point amassing more than 50,000 fans.

He was arrested in July 2010 after allegedly crashing a stolen plane in the Bahamas and then trying to escape on a stolen boat. He'd been on the run from police since escaping from a Washington group home in 2008.

His trial is scheduled to begin July 11.

CNN