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

Herald-Palladium ^ | 15 Sept 2002 | JIM DALGLEISH

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

You know maybe because I just finished reading Unintended Consequences but this really sounds fishy to me.

[Arkinsaw]

They are lucky that they didn't lose their car, their house, their land, and their bank account to drug seizure. There wouldn't even have to really be charges filed for that to have happened. Of course seizing private property without due process is legal these days.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

This will help

[Arkinsaw]

"I think they (the sources) should have to come out," she said. "They have destroyed our lives over a bunch of gossip."

Nope, not unless he went to trial and his accusers had to come out to face him. Since he probably could not afford to fight the government in court and the consequences would have been so great if he had fought and lost he had no real choice but to give up his right to have his accusers face him.

[LowOiL]

She said county and federal authorities needed only to knock on their door to inspect their guns, house and land. Instead, they sought federal warrants and performed a full-fledged raid Feb. 26.

That was sorta a useless statement. How did the authorities know they would cooperate? They did what they needed to do to search the area, otherwise they risked tipping off their search.

Tip to people, don't think any amount of drugs are a "fluke". Treat drugs as carefully as you do your guns, cause the two don't mix too well in court.

[Always A Marine]

This is armed robbery. That the criminals wear badges does not change a thing -- except that they will get away with the crime. Decent citizens should have no respect for them...

[Always A Marine]

Tip to people, don't think any amount of drugs are a "fluke".

Tip to people: Sometimes the police bring "evidence" with them to justify the raid. Always be suspicious when the police and the courts stand to profit from the siezure of your property.

[LowOiL]

Tip to people: Sometimes the police bring "evidence" with them to justify the raid.

Before you get too tinfoilly on me, remember they do not deny the drugs in this case. Please keep it to the facts here and now without reaching the twilight zone for a defense. This was a person caught with drugs within a school zone (and probable drove a school bus full of kids btw).

[HairOfTheDog]

0.42 ounces of marijuana from David LaVanway's bedroom. The amount would make no more than three joints, she said.

Nearly a half-ounce (14 grams?) only makes three joints? She makes a mean joint!

methinks the reporter got something wrong....

[weikel]

Less than half an ounce this was a frame up.

[LowOiL]

self correction ---- "Once" caught

[Centurion2000]

Because police found less than a half-ounce of marijuana, the U.S. Attorney's Office has launched civil forfeiture proceedings to keep the guns and 28,359 rounds of ammunition,

This is TOTAL BULL$$%T ..... crap like this was why we rebelled against England.

[LowOiL]

During the home raid, authorities seized 0.42 ounces of marijuana

Now before yall get to hot and bothered with me, let me add this tidbit. I don't know the particulars of the law in this state, but if the law only permits seizures of property (guns in this case) of cases with amounts of over 1/2 ounce, then I believe they should be returned to the owners. I ain't for bending the rules cause it was close. Again I would have to be better informed on the laws in this case, but if it says over 1/2 ounce then 1/2 ounce is what it should be. It is not right to bend the law that way.

[KingKongCobra]

Note: These people teach gun safety and signed forms reqarding drug use.

Here in Texas, you must know the local laws to teach a gun safety or concealed firearms class. These people knew the law and violated the law. They had and transported drugs in a purse (admitted). They had drugs in the house (admitted). They carried their weapon illegally in a vehichle (no contest plea).

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

[Always A Marine]

Before you get too tinfoilly on me, remember they do not deny the drugs in this case. Please keep it to the facts here and now without reaching the twilight zone for a defense. This was a person caught with drugs within a school zone (and probable drove a school bus full of kids btw).

There's nothing "tinfoilly" about the Constitution. If somebody is found guilty of breaking the law, let the court justly punish them with imprisonment or fines. But I am opposed to this legalized plunder, by which government steals the property of its citizens.

Many government agencies now include the net proceeds from asset forfeitures as line items in their budgets, revealing just how important this practice has become. That property siezure has become such a profitable enterprise leads me to question the motives for so many searches and raids. Is it the drugs they're after, or the property they might sieze?

Saddest of all to me is the corruption which has been institutionalized by asset forfeiture. All of the officials on whom we depend for justice -- police, judges and elected officials -- have a vested interest in siezing the property of citizens. Each stands to collect his cut from the liquidated proceeds, yet we expect them to do the right thing...

[Ken H]

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

[Syncro]

FYI

[FF578]

Don't Smoke Dope.