Denver city attorney’s office made $2.4 million in car seizures in 2016

Fox 31 KVDR Denver ^ | 13 Nov, 2017 | Rob Low

[MtnClimber]

DENVER -- The Problem Solvers have uncovered a city law that's making Denver millions of dollars before defendants have even been convicted of a crime. The Denver statute is called a Public Nuisance Abatement Ordinance and it allows police to confiscate property, usually cars, for a crime you may later be found innocent of.

It's exactly what happened to 57-year-old Semere Fremichael, a native of Eritrea. The immigrant from East African has been driving a taxi in Denver for the past 28-years. In April, he was arrested in an undercover prostitution sting. An undercover female cop tapped on Fremichael's taxi and asked him if he wanted to meet her around the corner for sex.

"I thought she was crazy, I said 'Oh she's crazy' that's why I left," said Fremichael. Denver Police pulled Fremichael over six blocks away to arrest him.

Denver police also filed a civil violation against Fremichael's Toyota Prius as a "Class One Public Nuisance," alleging the car was used in the commission of a crime.

"My client unfortunately got himself caught up in a scam that the city basically uses to make money," said Richard Gross, Fremichael's defense attorney. Gross helped convince a judge to acquit Fremichael of the prostitution charge but says Fremichael was forced to sign a civil stipulation long before he was found innocent of the criminal charge.

[MtnClimber]

I avoid Denver like the plague. I can’t avoid it when I have to go to the airport. I don’t think they want to see me if I have to fight any of their commie crap.