FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2014 file photo, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon speaks during a news conference in San Francisco. San Francisco's district attorney says his office will toss out or reduce thousands of marijuana criminal convictions dating back decades, which a 2016 ballot measure legalizing recreational use of the drug in California allows. Gascon announced Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, that his office will review nearly 5,000 felony cases for possible action and automatically seal 3,000 misdemeanor cases.
FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2014 file photo, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon speaks during a news conference in San Francisco. San Francisco's district attorney says his office will toss out or reduce thousands of marijuana criminal convictions dating back decades, which a 2016 ballot measure legalizing recreational use of the drug in California allows. Gascon announced Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, that his office will review nearly 5,000 felony cases for possible action and automatically seal 3,000 misdemeanor cases. Eric Risberg, File AP Photo
FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2014 file photo, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon speaks during a news conference in San Francisco. San Francisco's district attorney says his office will toss out or reduce thousands of marijuana criminal convictions dating back decades, which a 2016 ballot measure legalizing recreational use of the drug in California allows. Gascon announced Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018, that his office will review nearly 5,000 felony cases for possible action and automatically seal 3,000 misdemeanor cases. Eric Risberg, File AP Photo

National

The Latest: California moves to drop, cut pot convictions

The Associated Press

February 01, 2018 08:40 PM

SAN FRANCISCO

The Latest on California prosecutors moving to erase or reduce thousands of marijuana convictions (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

Prosecutors in San Francisco and San Diego are moving to erase thousands of marijuana convictions en masse, a step that could prove life-changing for some.

Advocates say the actions could especially help minorities, who were more likely than whites to be arrested for marijuana crimes. Activists are calling on more places to do the same.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon says his office would review nearly 5,000 felony convictions for possible reductions to misdemeanors. In addition, he said prosecutors will dismiss 3,000 misdemeanor convictions.

San Diego had previously undertaken a similar review after voters legalized marijuana and erased a list of pot-related crimes. The measure applies retroactively, making hundreds of thousands convictions eligible for dismissal or reduction.