Suffolk County law enforcement want New York lawmakers to allow them to charge drug dealers with murder.
State Senator Todd Kaminsky, who has sponsored a bill to do that, said Long Island has seen a significant increase in fatal drug overdoses during the pandemic.
“Our prosecutors need to be able to charge homicide to those who deal drugs that kill our neighbors. It is common sense,” Kaminsky said.
Right now, prosecutors can only charge drug dealers with the criminal sale of a controlled substance. The bill targets those who sell drugs laced with the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl.
At least 20 states have a “death by dealer” law. A similar bill has been proposed in Connecticut.
