Drug Crimes

Senate Proposal Seeks Major Drug-Law Overhaul On Friday, May 6, 2016, Sen. Ron Latz, DFL - St. Louis Park gained momentous bipartisan support when the Minnesota Chiefs of Police Association, the Minnesota Sheriffs Association and the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association signed off on the final compromise to his proposed-drug-reform package, Senate File 3481. Other institutional supporters already on board include — the Minnesota County Attorneys Association, the Minnesota State Public Defender’s Office, the Minnesota Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, U.S. Justice Action Network, and the Minneapolis-based Council on Crime and Justice. With this vast support network, this [...]

Got Marijuana? It’s the State’s Burden to Prove It Under Minnesota law, all offenses involving the sale or possession of Marijuana are FELONY level offense. This is except for a small amount of Marijuana, defined at 42.5 grams or less. The amount of prison time you face depends on the amount of Marijuana sold or in your possession at the time of the offense. The table below illustrates the relevant Minnesota statutes. Possession of Marijuana: (Other) Minn. Stat. § 152.027 Minnesota Penalties: Petty Misdemeanor No incarceration Max. Fine $200 (5th Degree) Minn. Stat. § 152.025 Minnesota Penalties: FELONY 5 [...]

Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Controlled Substance Crimes Since, the early 1990’s and in response to the nationwide “War on Drugs” Minnesota has taken a drastic approach in amending the criminal penalties for controlled-substance crimes. This approach has resulted in more strict and harsh penalties for those convicted of these crimes, and also the institution of mandatory minimum sentences. These penalties are much more severe than other states, as well as the national average. See Minnesota in comparison to a sampling of states: *No weapon involved, No criminal history, First time drug offense Minnesota: Prison 7 years Kansas: Prison [...]