Page 6 - aruba-today-20190302

A6 U.S. NEWS
Saturday 2 March 2019
Liberal Hawaii decides again not to legalize marijuana

By AUDREY McAVOY ing on Friday to consider
Associated Press any bills, effectively killing
HONOLULU (AP) — On the the marijuana legalization
political spectrum, Hawaii is measure.
among the bluest of states. Rep. Della Au Belatti, the
Democrats control all the House majority leader, said
levers of power at the state before the bill died that she
and federal levels, and vot- believes Hawaii will legal-
ers back Democratic presi- ize adult use marijuana at
dential candidates over some point. But she said
Republicans by some of lawmakers will vet the issue
the widest margins in the carefully.
U.S. "I also think that we have
The state has committed enough folks who are sit-
to the Paris climate agree- ting around the table who
ment that President Don- are saying 'Let's do it right.
ald Trump rejected and Let's not just rush into things
was the first state to require and let's do it right,'" she
people to be 21 to buy cig- said.
arettes. The tourist haven Belatti said lawmakers must
even banned certain types closely study the experi-
of sunscreen because they ences of states that have
can harm coral reefs. legalized marijuana. She
But when it comes to legal- also wants to have abuse
izing recreational marijua- This June 6, 2017 file photo shows Aloha Green, a medical marijuana dispensary, in Honolulu. prevention, treatment and
na for adult use, the islands Associated Press education programs set up
are out of step with liberal before legalization. Hawaii
stalwarts such as California for a deadline. Half the Democrats in the waii's existing medical mari- also will have to make sure
and Vermont that have al- Senate Majority Leader state Senate co-sponsored juana program. legalized marijuana doesn't
ready done so, and other J. Kalani English has intro- English's measure, helping To move forward, the bill lead to more impaired driv-
left-leaning states such as duced marijuana legal- spur speculation this would had to pass the Senate ing, she said.
New York and New Jersey ization bills for the past 15 be the year legalization be- Health Committee and For now, Belatti said she's
that are racing toward years — but Hawaii has comes reality. Senate Ways and Means just inclined toward de-
joining them. On Friday, a a track record of mov- But the effort fizzled as oth- Committee by a Friday criminalizing marijuana, or
legalization bill that made ing slowly on social issues. er leaders worried about deadline so it could be reducing fines and criminal
it farther in the legislative For example, other states contradicting federal law, considered by the full Sen- penalties for possession.
process than previous ef- moved far more quickly to which continues to clas- ate. Twelve states and the Dis-
forts died when lawmakers sanction gay marriage and sify marijuana as an illegal But the Health Committee trict of Columbia have rec-
failed to consider it in time medically assisted suicide. drug, and jeopardizing Ha- did not schedule a meet- reational marijuana laws.q

DOJ: No civil rights charge in

deadly Tulsa police shooting

Attorney's Office worked son is that the system is set The investigation aimed to
closely with the FBI to ex- up to protect officers like determine whether Shelby
amine the evidence and Betty Shelby. The standard willfully violated federal
review applicable law," (of proof) is so high, it's the law, which Shores said re-
Shores said in a statement. highest standard in the le- quired prosecutors to de-
A Tulsa County jury acquit- gal system, to prove that termine that Shelby acted
ted Shelby in May 2017 someone willfully and in- with the "deliberate and
in the shooting death of tentionally violated some- specific intent" to do some-
Crutcher, who was hold- one else's civil rights." thing illegal.
In this Wednesday, May 17, 2017 file photo, Betty Shelby leaves ing his hands above his Shelby resigned from the "Any allegation of law en-
the courtroom with her husband, Dave Shelby, right, after the
jury in her case began deliberations in Tulsa, Okla. head when he was shot. Tulsa Police Department forcement misconduct
Associated Press Shelby testified she fired following her acquittal. and willful deprivation of
her weapon out of fear be- A federal lawsuit filed by civil rights is taken seriously,"
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — There whether Betty Shelby willful- cause Crutcher didn't obey Crutcher's family against Shores said. "However, the
is insufficient evidence to ly used unreasonable force her commands and ap- the City of Tulsa and Shel- evidence in this case did
pursue federal civil rights against Terence Crutcher peared to reach inside his by still is pending in federal not support pursuing crimi-
charges against a white when she shot and killed SUV for what she thought court. nal prosecution."
former Tulsa police officer him in September 2016. was a gun. Crutcher was Shores said a team that Crutcher's killing was
who shot and killed an un- "The Department of Jus- unarmed. included some of the de- among a spate of officer-
armed black man, the De- tice devoted significant re- "We're disappointed, but partment's most experi- involved shootings in re-
partment of Justice said sources to this investigation unfortunately we're not enced prosecutors and cent years that helped
Friday. to ensure that a thorough surprised," said Demario FBI agents examined all of galvanize the Black Lives
U.S. Attorney Trent Shores review was undertaken. At- Solomon-Simmons, an at- the evidence in the case, Matter movement and
announced the closure torneys from both the Civil torney for Crutcher's fam- including enhanced video prompted calls for more
of the investigation into Rights Division and the U.S. ily. "The number one rea- footage of the shooting . police accountability.q