Coronavirus Latest: Marilyn Mosby Dropping Charges For Drug Possession, Prostitution, Other Minor Crimes To Help Prevent COVID-19 Spread In Jails
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby ordered her staff Wednesday to drop all pending charges against people arrested for certain non-violent crimes.
Some of those crimes include drug possession, prostitution, trespassing, minor traffic offenses, urinating in public and other non-violent crimes.
Mosby said the decision is to prevent the spread of coronavirus behind bars.
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Mosby sent a letter to Gov. Larry Hogan's office Wednesday urging him to take emergency action to close courthouses throughout the state and to develop guidelines for the state's prisons and jails.
In the letter, Mosby said that "with so many lives on the line, there are steps the Governor's office can take to mitigate the spread of the virus behind prison walls."
So far, there are at least 85 positive coronavirus cases in Maryland.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.