BALTIMORE — In the biggest pardon in Maryland history, Gov. Wes Moore overturned convictions for 100,000 people convicted of low-level marijuana charges.
On Monday, Gov. Moore issued pardons in one of the nation’s largest acts of clemency involving marijuana, a now widespread recreational use drug. In all, 175,000 convictions will be pardoned.
In an interview with our partners at the Washington Post, Gov. Moore said, “If you want to be able to create inclusive economic growth, it means you have to start removing these barriers that continue to disproportionately sit on communities of color.”
Maryland is not the first state to make historic pardons as large as this one; nine other states have pardoned hundreds of thousands of old marijuana convictions since the legalization of recreational marijuana in the majority of the country. Recreational marijuana has been legal in Maryland since last year.
The Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland said in a press release that these convictions have created long-term barriers in housing, employment, licensing and education, stunting the wealth building and mobility of African-American and Latino communities.
State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy's office released a statement following the announcement.
"I stand with and applaud Governor Wes Moore for making history in pardoning 175,000 low-level marijuana convictions." Braveboy said. "In Prince George's County, I have been at the forefront of balancing restorative justice and second chances by establishing a Conviction and Sentencing Integrity Unit, which is the first of its kind in the state." Braveboy continued, "Finally, let me say that Governor Moore's pardons are both timely and appropriate as we prepare to celebrate Wednesday's Juneteenth holiday, a day that has come to symbolize the end of slavery in the United States."
Maryland Attorney General, Anthony G. Brown said "Our Governor Moore is going to make an announcement of pardoning 175,000 convictions, and what that means for hundreds of thousands of African Americans and other Marylanders of color. I'm proud of our Governor, his values, his beliefs, his conviction. This is long overdue, and this is just the beginning and the continuation of the work that we have yet to do."
Electronic court records will reflect the pardons within two weeks, and charges will be cleared from criminal background checks within 10 months.
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