Now If You're Caught With Weed in Dallas, You Won't Go Directly to Jail

People caught with small amounts of marijuana in Dallas won't be taken straight to jail now, after Dallas County commissioners on Tuesday passed a "cite and release" program aimed at freeing cops to focus on violent crimes. After a heated debate, commissioners voted 4-1 to allow Dallas police to issue a court summons to people found with less than 4 ounces of pot. While laws legalizing or decriminalizing marijuana have swept across the country, they remain a political long shot in Texas. However some cities - including Austin, San Antonio and Houston -- have taken advantage of a 2007 law that allowed law enforcement to cite and release defendants accused of certain misdemeanors including marijuana possession.   Continue reading...