July 28, 2017 By Jason Cohen
The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens District Attorneys announced Wednesday that they will be dismissing nearly 700,000 open summons warrants next month.
They will be dismissing warrants issued for low level crimes that took place more than 10 years ago. These warrants were never triggered because the alleged perpetrators were not arrested in the past decade.
The warrants stem from summonses issued for minor infractions, according to the DAs, such as riding a bicycle on the sidewalk, drinking beer in public, disorderly conduct, and being in a park after dark. They claim that dismissing the warrants won’t put the public’s safety at risk.
Approximately 100,000 warrants will be dismissed in Queens.
“The prosecution of thousands of 10-year-old and older summons part cases would pose serious factual and legal challenges,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. “The NYPD has vetted the list and excluded the most flagrant violators who may still be prosecuted if apprehended. We believe the people of Queens County will be better served by focusing our resources on more serious offenses.”
There are approximately 1.5 million open summons warrants citywide. These summons warrants, when left unresolved, subject those who have them to an automatic arrest when questioned by police on the street or during a traffic stop. They may also carry a number of negative consequences, including impeding one’s ability to apply for citizenship, to secure employment or obtain public housing, and subject undocumented immigrants to deportation.
The warrants will be dismissed in court proceedings in each county next month.
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7 Comments
While drink, i urinated naked on my neighbors flowers while singing “I Never Promised You A Rose Garden” while wearing a Bob Ross afro wig – does this mean Im off the hook??
Not sure is this is a low level crime.
I glad they do this
First smart thing Joe and Mac ever said
I DON”T have NO Summons IN QUEENS…because I live in New JERSEY. Always have, always will.
These minor offense warrants should probably have sunset clauses or expiration dates. Can you imagine the uproar in calling a cop out of retirement and the cost of digging up witnesses to prosecute a ten year old open container citation or side walk bike riding incident? No wonder there is no money subway and commuter train maintenance….
Watch, if you have a warrant the letter will come in the mail that your owed money for taxes or something and to come claim it and pick it up at some location ,then bingo! You get pinched. Suckers fall for it every time .
These things are usually reduced or dismissed by DA anyway. Why the grandstanding?