An Indiana Senate committee approved a bill Jan. 28 that would give the attorney general power to take over cases that county prosecutors choose to not prosecute.
Though Sen. Michael Young (R-Indianapolis), the bill’s author and chair of the committee, said along with other Republicans that the bill was not a specific rebuttal of Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears’ recent decision to not prosecute simple marijuana possession, much of the discussion about the bill centered on Mears.
Young said it was an example of a “social justice” prosecutor deciding which laws to follow.
Opponents of the bill said it infringes upon prosecutorial discretion and that prosecutors, who are elected, are held accountable by the people in their community.
Mears replaced retired county prosecutor Terry Curry in September 2019 and was elected to the interim position by Democratic Party leaders. The seat is up for election in 2022.
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