why?
those cases happened while it was still illegal didn’t they?
Why? Prosecutorial discretion exercised in this case in the expectation that juries hearing the cases would have the guts to engage in jury nullification of what was always a stupid law, knowing they’ll have local public opinion at their backs if they refuse to convict.
Support for the rule of law doesn’t mean turning all prosecutors into copies of Victor Hugo’s Javert.
Let it go. Rigorously enforcing bad laws, especially when they are unpopular, leads to greater contempt for the rule of law than does prosecutorial laxity, provided the laxity does not show favoritism.