*By Jacqueline Corba*
The chief prosecutor of Jersey City, N.J., said the state legislature could pass a bill legalizing recreational marijuana before the end of the year.
"If we're able to get a vote soon enough," prosecutor Jake Hudnut told Cheddar on Tuesday, "conceivably there will never be another person prosecuted in New Jersey for simple marijuana possession, and I really think that should be the benchmark."
Hudnut stopped prosecuting marijuana cases on July 19, less than a month after taking office.
About 30,000 people are arrested in marijuana cases each year in New Jersey, which holds the record for the [second highest arrests in the nation behind Wyoming](https://www.nj.com/marijuana/2018/04/new_jersey_arrests_more_people_for_marijuana_than.html).
Hudnut said people of color are three times more likely to be arrested or prosecuted for marijuana possession.
"One of the most troubling parts of my career as a defense attorney was standing next to so many young men of color pleading guilty to marijuana when I knew so many of my white friends were doing the same thing, but they were able to do it without fear of being arrested and prosecuted," said Hudnut, who spent seven years as a defense attorney.
New Jersey's Attorney General Gurbur Grewal briefly stepped in, saying Hudnut [overstepped his authority](https://nj.gov/oag/newsreleases18/AG-Grewal-to-Prosecutors--Municipal-Decriminalization.pdf), but himself formed a working group of 20ーincluding Hudnutーto explore the state's handling of marijuana cases and ultimately paused prosecutions himself.
Hudnut said if a bill could be put in front of the legislature before the AG's [moratorium](https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/24/nyregion/nj-marijuana-medical-decriminalization.html) on prosecutions ends, it would effectively end the prohibition on marijuana in New Jersey for the foreseeable future.
For more, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/state-of-weed-prosecution-in-jersey-city).
King Charles III’s wife has been officially identified as Queen Camilla for the first time, with Buckingham Palace using the title on invitations for the monarch’s May 6 coronation.
Cheddar News Senior Reporter Chloe Aiello visits the House of Cannabis in Soho. The space consists of 30,000-square-feet and five floors dedicated to immersive cannabis-related experiences and installations.
Air, starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, officially hits theaters on Wednesday. The film is based on the story of Nike in the 1980s as the company attempts to sign Michael Jordan to a sneaker deal.
Passover began on Wednesday, and many Jewish families are getting ready to prepare their favorite holiday meals. To help those celebrating, Jake Cohen, author of Jew-Ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch, stopped by the Cheddar News studios to talk about the significance of the holiday and share (and showcase) some of his favorite recipes.
Passover began on Wednesday, and many Jewish families are getting ready to prepare their favorite holiday meals. To help those celebrating, Jake Cohen, author of Jew-Ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch, stopped by the Cheddar News studios to talk about the significance of the holiday and share (and showcase) some of his favorite recipes.
Passover began on Wednesday, and many Jewish families are getting ready to prepare their favorite holiday meals. To help those celebrating, Jake Cohen, author of Jew-Ish: A Cookbook: Reinvented Recipes from a Modern Mensch, stopped by the Cheddar News studios to talk about the significance of the holiday and share (and showcase) some of his favorite recipes.
So a new Barbie trailer dropped this week, and buzz is building for the pink-hued movie about the popular doll.
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