Owners may not get guns back (Guns Were Not Illegal, But Will Not Be Returned To Owners)

Herald-Palladium ^ | 15 Sept 2002 | JIM DALGLEISH

[FF578]

Smoke Dope, Pay the Price.

[Always A Marine]

This life time member of the NRA can find no grounds to defend them. None whatsoever.

Nor does this lifetime member defend them for breaking the law. But the proper penalty is imprisonment or fine -- not the theft of their property.

The next time you drive 70mph is a 55mph zone, you'll probably consider what the fine might be if you get caught. My guess is that it probably fits the offense, somewhere around $60 or $75. But perhaps the cops might like to keep your car, too? Hmmm....

[Mulder]

This is armed robbery

Yep. Drugs are bad (including stuff like Ritlin in most cases), but there is simply no defense for the state seizing private property in this manner.

[Rome2000]

Do asset seizures such as this violate any aspect of the Constitution, in your opinion?

The Constitution is history man, it only applies to the rich, famous, and PC crowd these days.

Thats what happens when you vote for lawyers, they let each other take our rights away.

[Always A Marine]

Smoke Dope, Pay the Price.

Agree. The price is a fine or imprisonment. It does not include having your property stolen, liquidated and shared as booty by bureaucrats and politicians. What do you own that a bureaucrat might like to have?

[11B3]

The Constitution hasn't had anything to do with a single court case in the USA since the early '60s.

Before you flame me, read the Uniform Commercial Code, section 1 paragraph 207. Or for a method of beating any case which has no "victim" to come to court and testify (traffic ticket, drug bust, taxes, etc.) go and check out some of the articles at http://www.theawaregroup.com - especially the ones on the UCC and America's bankruptcy during the 30's which changed our legal system completely. Seriously - no foil involved. Just some facts that everyone in this site needs to know. (Some of the writers wear aluminum plate, but you can figure out which ones they are easily enough.)

[motexva]

You really think they deserve to lose weapons that had no connection to this "crime"? I have enough alcohol in a liquor cabinent right now to kill a fat man, but no one would take my guns over that. They had a harmless amount of marijuana - not a dealer amount (not that I believe that would make any difference). This is a disgusting injustice, and anyone who doesn't think that deserves the slaves' chains we will all soon be wearing.

[hoosierskypilot]

"He said felony criminal charges could follow if prosecutors conclude the owners lied on gun registration forms when answering standard questions about possible drug use. "

That's the key. If these people are charged with a felony, the authorities will hold the guns until after the trial since felons are not allowed to own firearms. If convicted, they lose the guns. Period.

My guess is that they'll plea down to a misdemeanor and get the guns back.

[hoosierskypilot]

Two guys in Kentucky shot an immature buck out of season and got caught. The feds confiscated their truck and guns and sold them at auction. The hunters were also fined a hefty amount, their hunting licenses revoked and sentenced to a considerable amount of community service.

They didn't even get to keep the meat.

[11B3]

You know the deal. John Q. in the cage doesn't understand the true meaning of freedom. Or the way they appear to anyone that rides, for that matter. ('79 Low-Rider.) After reading many of your posts in the past in here, you must be from the age when it wasn't doctors and lawyers in the saddle, eh?

[dcwusmc]

Roger that. I have ZERO respect for them, nor do any of the DECENT citizens I know have a whit more! Thieves with badges deserve far more than I can get away with advocating on this forum. If the COPS start to turn bad, what are we left with? They are so vile I cannot even begin to recount how bad they are!

[hoosierskypilot]

"Do asset seizures such as this violate any aspect of the Constitution, in your opinion?"

Seems there should be some distinction between usage and intent to distribute. Maybe.

[KingKongCobra]

Hmm. I'm afraid that the Constitution means whatever 9 old men think it means. I often disagree with them but if they decide that it's OK to take these guns, then it's OK. That's the breaks.

[11B3]

I'll third that. There are many instances where the LEOs have turned out to be far more dangerous to society than the lawmakers could have imagined. They all forget that one human instinct: Greed.

[Leper Messiah]

I think it does seem pretty certain the neighbors made some things up to prompt this, but you'd think folks teaching gun safety would know better than to do some of this stuff.

1. Take dope to work with you, especially if you drive a school bus.

2. Keep your gun in an improper manner.

[Zon]

FF578 writes: Prohibition would have worked if we made possession a Capital Offense. We need to do the same for Drug Possession today. Along with Homosexuality, Blasphemy, Fornication, Adultery and Pornography. 48