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Seattle to vacate misdemeanor marijuana convictions, cases

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan made the announcement Thursday at the Rainier Community Center.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 19: Various types of marijuana are on display at Private Organic Therapy (P.O.T.), a non-profit co-operative medical marijuana dispensary, on October 19, 2009 in Los Angeles, California.

The City of Seattle will move to vacate misdemeanor marijuana possession convictions prosecuted by the city before it was legalized in Washington state.

During a press conference Thursday morning, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and City Attorney Pete Holmes announced plans to ask Seattle’s municipal court to dismiss charges and vacate convictions for misdemeanor marijuana convictions before I-502 was passed in 2012.

WATCH: Mayor Durkan announces move to vacate misdemeanor marijuana convictions

Holmes and Mayor Durkan made the announcement Thursday at the Rainier Community Center.

The measure will help “bring restorative justice for the communities who have been disproportionately targeted by the criminal justice system and furthers the City’s commitment to eliminate racial disparities,” according to a press release.

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