Not that I'm defending this practice by any means, but if they didn't seize the vehicles or cash up front, what are the odds that after the trial they will get them?
Just to throw this idea out there - Let the cops and prosecutors keep doing what they are doing now, but if the person is found not guilty the county will have to pay them back double the cash value of what was seized PLUS 10% interest per month.
Put some skin for the locals in the game and see how fast the practice cleans itself up. Only a open and shut case would then be seized, and not like now as a revenue base.
I think a big, fat pig just flew past my window. I agree with something Eric Holder has done, wow.
With holder involved, there’s a taqiyya aspect in there somewhere.
Blind squirrel finds nut! I'm sure this doesn't indicate he's suddenly discovered respect for the civil rights of his superiors, but I'll take it.
Yes, that is a surprise.
Holder didn’t end asset forfeiture. He ended a federal program that forced the splitting of the proceeds among local, state, and federal authorities. It’s an important first step, because the “free cash” flow has been a powerful incentive for keeping this atrocity going.
“The program has enabled local and state police to make seizures and then have them “adopted” by federal agencies, which share in the proceeds.”
Sounds to me like a bounty program. So, if they feds approved doing this for some crimes, why not for others like immigration enforcement??
On a serious note, I applaud this action but wonder why our esteemed AG would do this. What is the pay back for him and Barry.
Me, too. Cops have been abusing this law since day one. People get their personal property taken from then without a even being charged.
The exception will swallow the rule. It will mean that fewer seizures are “adopted” and more are the result of “collaboration” but the drug war gravy train will ride on.
http://reason.com/archives/2015/01/21/the-persistence-of-policing-for-profit
This reminds me of ten years ago, when a couple of the drug warriors around here were more open about supporting asset forfeiture and were busy trying to tell us that CAFRA had solved all these problems. It didn’t.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-backroom/1515174/posts?page=1136#1136
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/1072159/posts?q=1&;page=89#86
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1592490/posts?page=306#306