Several States to Vote on Marijuana Legislation: Voters in several states across the U.S. are will vote today on a variety of bills legalizing the use of marijuana, decriminalizing the possession of the drug, and shortening the amount of time convicted users spend behind bars. Matt Ferner of the Huffington Post reports that voters in Alaska, Oregon, and Washington D.C. will vote on whether or not adults over the age of 21 should be able to possess and grow marijuana at their homes. Voters in Florida will decide if marijuana should be legalized for medicinal purposes. Californians will vote on proposition 47, which if passed, would reduce the majority of so-called 'nonserious and nonviolent' drug crimes from felonies to misdemeanors.
Suspect in SoCal Hit-and-Run Had Several Probation Violations: The Southern California man arrested for a hit-and-run Halloween night that left three young girls dead was driving on a suspended license and had violated his probation at least seven times. Emily Foxhall and Joseph Serna of the Los Angeles Times report that 31-year-old Jaquinn Bell was convicted of hit-and-run driving and DUI in August and was sentenced to just 10 days behind bars and three years probation. His driver's license was suspended just 17 days before last weekend's deadly Halloween crash. Bell faces three felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and several other felony charges. If found guilty on all counts, he faces a maximum of 17 years in prison.
Update: Jaquinn Bell would have been serving a 4 year prison term for his Hit and Run and drunk driving convictions last August if California's Realignment law were not in force and the three victims would be alive today.
Missouri Amendment Would Strengthen Sex Offender Laws: Voters in Missouri will vote on an amendment that would allow allegations of past criminal acts to be used against individuals facing sex-related charges involving a victim under 18-years-old. Amy Anderson of KCTV reports that under current state law, if a convicted child predator is facing new charges, the jury presiding over his/her most recent case can't be told of the prior act. Missouri is the only state that doesn't allow prior criminal acts involving children to be admitted as evidence in future court hearings.
Suspect in SoCal Hit-and-Run Had Several Probation Violations: The Southern California man arrested for a hit-and-run Halloween night that left three young girls dead was driving on a suspended license and had violated his probation at least seven times. Emily Foxhall and Joseph Serna of the Los Angeles Times report that 31-year-old Jaquinn Bell was convicted of hit-and-run driving and DUI in August and was sentenced to just 10 days behind bars and three years probation. His driver's license was suspended just 17 days before last weekend's deadly Halloween crash. Bell faces three felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and several other felony charges. If found guilty on all counts, he faces a maximum of 17 years in prison.
Update: Jaquinn Bell would have been serving a 4 year prison term for his Hit and Run and drunk driving convictions last August if California's Realignment law were not in force and the three victims would be alive today.
Missouri Amendment Would Strengthen Sex Offender Laws: Voters in Missouri will vote on an amendment that would allow allegations of past criminal acts to be used against individuals facing sex-related charges involving a victim under 18-years-old. Amy Anderson of KCTV reports that under current state law, if a convicted child predator is facing new charges, the jury presiding over his/her most recent case can't be told of the prior act. Missouri is the only state that doesn't allow prior criminal acts involving children to be admitted as evidence in future court hearings.
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