Posted on 11/21/2013 5:45:52 PM PST by kiryandil
Norman Gurley, 30, is facing drug-related charges in Lorain County, Ohio, despite the fact that state troopers did not actually find any drugs in his possession.
Ohio passed a law in 2012 making it a felony to alter a vehicle to add a secret compartment with the intent of using it to conceal drugs for trafficking.
Gurley is the first actual person arrested under the law. WKYC in Northeast Ohio covered the arrest, with no notable journalistic skepticism whatsoever:
(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...
Do they have intent-sniffing police dogs now?
I still have a book I decades ago hollowed out for my stash of fire crackers. I’d better turn myself in.
How the hell is ‘altering’ your car to have an extra compartment illegal?
This is the equivalent of banning house extensions for fear you might set up a meth lab. UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
But then again, with Obama cementing dictatorial powers in Washington, this is no surprise.
In the words of The Great One
“This isn’t soft tyranny, this isn’t hyphenated tyranny, this is now just TYRANNY!”
Thought crime.
Thought Crime.
I remember a story from back in the late 90s when they started the asset seizure program - a guy who had purchased a car at a government auction was stopped at one of those DUI checkpoints and they had a dog that found a compartment in the trunk with either drugs or drug residue. He was busted and claimed neither he nor the gubment folks who sold him the car had any idea.
I don't remember the outcome.
Now to join such thought crimes as hate crimes...making a hidden compartment for obvious nefarious purposes.
Hitler would be proud.
What if the secret compartment was built to hide his smokes from his wife? Or to stash his gun when he enters City Hall to pick up some papers. Or hide chocolates in there for his mistress?
Maybe Santa will bring me a new mouse.
My point ...a good defense attny can shred this prosecution.
I'm guessing that the secret compartment is labeled "Drug Storage" right? As opposed to "Secret stash for locking up stuff you don't want stolen out of your vehicle"....right?!
Who was the pimple-brain who dreamed up this law?
Hold on, I think there may be a bright side to this.....
Follow along.... Here goes.....
Ohio has arrested a man for having a compartment containing nothing.
So what they have done is arrested a man for nothing.
So.... What they are saying here is........
NOTHING is illegal!
The public is out there committing crimes every day. We in law enforcement know this. We will catch you, we will bring you to justice. You cannot escape our web. We have an endless number of offenses with which to charge you. You are powerless to resist.
You can’t prove intent. How do they know that was the reason?
Reminds of of the laws passed for ziplock bag possesion right after ziplock bags were invented.
My kids mini-cooper has a secret compartment right above the glove compartment that it took him a year to find (after another mini owner showed it to him). It’s factory, but you have to push in a part below the airbag thing, and then a little door opens up, you can fit maybe a kleenex box in it.
Nothing in the manual about it. But standard on all mini clubmans.
Everything is illegal. That’s where it’s leading to.
I wouldn't put too much on the line on that bet.
/johnny
“When did Ohio go Fascist?”
Didn’t Ohio go for Obama?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.