Amy Vasquez believes that if a defibrillator was closer at hand when her husband, Peter Fiorentino, went into cardiac arrest while waiting to try a case in 2011, he would still be alive today.
Cases eligible under the Marijuana Decriminalization Law are expunged automatically, wiping them from the courts' public record and absolving past offenders from having to report their charges on job, housing, or college applications.
Two months into a pilot program in Bergen and Mercer counties, lawyers from around the state say the virtual setup is unconstitutional, and are calling for an immediate suspension of any further action.
In six weeks, significant reforms to New Jersey’s criminal justice system go into effect. But some lawmakers want to make last-minute changes, over the objections of the courts.