Money troubles

STLtoday ^ | 1/15/04 | Heather Ratcliffe

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

For 20 years, Curtis Smith Sr. carried a rare $1,000 bill in his pocket with no intention of spending it.

"Nobody ever knew I had it," Smith explained. "I thought of it as a novelty."

Smith, 71, expected to keep the note safely tucked in his pants until the day he died.

[claudiustg]

Clearly a case of officials misusing their position to rob citizens. Imagine they impound the man's car then give him a check for what they think it's worth.

[reformed_democrat]

A Pine Lawn officer found the cash when he arrested Smith on suspicion of drunken driving April 28.

Smith said he had been asleep in his truck about 2 a.m., parked on a lot he owns in the 6200 block of Natural Bridge Road, when Cpl. Michael Waisner found him.

I wasn't aware there was a law against drunken sleeping.

[GraniteStateConservative]

So, this is a War on Some Drugs story? They get funnier and funnier.

[Protagoras]

It wouldn't be the first government that was criminal.

[Protagoras]

I wasn't aware there was a law against drunken sleeping.

It is in Illinois. They can get you for almost anything if they want. If you ever go to sleep it off in your car, stash the keys under a nearby bush so you can make the case that the car was undrivable.

I don't know if it will work, but it's worth a try. It's all about money, not drunken driving.

[Protagoras]

I had Chicago police steal a knife from me when I was a teen.

[EagleMamaMT]

Read later.

[Orangedog]

Things like this are the reason I have almost to repsect for the "law enforcement" profession.

[Orangedog]

to = no


damn keyboard ;)

[elbucko]

I wasn't aware there was a law against drunken sleeping.

Neither was I. The whole episode stinks of LEO's abusing power under color of authority. IF Smith was asleep in his own car, on his own private property, where's the crime? Also, a 71 year old is not the typical pot head. I suspect the cops planted the weed in the car. As for the police chief and the $1,000 bill, its value and uniqueness compel it be considered beyond normal currency and to be determined as unique personal property and returned to Smith.

[lunatic12]

In Georgia, you can be arrested for Driving Under the Influence on a riding lawn mower on your own property!

[Kahonek]

At least in Texas, there's a law against "operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated." If it's a cold night and you turn on your car to run the heater while you sleep it off in a parking lot, you're operating the vehicle.

[reformed_democrat]

I was opposed to the drunk driving laws from their inception. Just like gun control -- we don't need more laws, we need to enforce the ones we have. There were plenty of laws against speeding and reckless driving, why did we need to add "But its really, REALLY bad if you have alcohol on your breath."

Drunk driving, gun control, hate crimes . . . our legislators have waaaay to much time on their hands. I think they ought to get out and do volunteer work or something.