| Topic: |
Sociology > Depression |
| User: |
"CyberDroog" |
| Date: |
05 Oct 2006 09:05:36 AM |
| Object: |
Robbery With A Badge |
From: The Liberator Online (www.theadvocates.org)
Robbery With A Badge
by James W. Harris
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over a
car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers said
the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
According to the Davidson County newspaper The Dispatch, the dog "found a
strong odor of narcotics inside the car."
But no drugs were found. Nor any evidence of wrong-doing. So the two men
weren't charged with any crime and were free to leave.
But not with their $88,000. The sheriffs kept that.
Incredibly, thanks to federal and state civil asset forfeiture laws, police
can seize property and cash on the mere suspicion that they may be
connected with drugs. The lack of proof of a crime is no protection. The
sheriff's department called in federal investigators, and they are now
preparing to argue in federal court that the government should be able to
keep the money.
If they win -- and the government does win the vast majority of asset
forfeiture cases -- the local sheriff's office cut will be 75 percent
($66,000) of the confiscated money.
Asset forfeiture has been quite lucrative for the Davidson County Sheriff's
Office: $1.6 million in 2005 and $1.4 million in 2004.
"It allows us to buy equipment without using taxpayers' money," said
Sheriff Grice.
Police departments across the country report similar windfalls.
This practice, common for many years, was given a strong boost in August.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ruled that if a motorist
is carrying a large sum of cash, that money is automatically subject to
confiscation. "Possession of a large sum of cash is 'strong evidence' of a
connection to drug activity," the court ruled.
In other words, for all practical purposes, driving with a lot of cash is
now a crime in the United States of America.
(See links below for an article on the Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals
case, and the full text of that court's ruling.)
(Sources: http://www.the-
dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060927/NEWS/609270339/1005/news
* Article on Eighth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals case:
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/12/1296.asp
* Text of U.S. v. $124,700 (U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit,
8/19/2006):
http://www.thenewspaper.com/rlc/docs/2006/moneyseize.pdf )
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| User: "used2be" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
05 Oct 2006 03:24:33 PM |
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"CyberDroog" <CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote in message
news:634ai2ltb9ianv9plpd850g7t63p9dp7ll@news.easynews.com...
From: The Liberator Online (www.theadvocates.org)
Robbery With A Badge
by James W. Harris
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over a
car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers said
the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver
and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
According to the Davidson County newspaper The Dispatch, the dog "found a
strong odor of narcotics inside the car."
But no drugs were found. Nor any evidence of wrong-doing. So the two men
weren't charged with any crime and were free to leave.
But not with their $88,000. The sheriffs kept that.
i'm not sure which is stupider...this insane law, or carrying $88K in cash
with you in your vehicle.
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| User: "Contrarian" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
09 Oct 2006 04:36:03 AM |
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CyberDroog <CyberDroog@clockworkorange.com> wrote:
From: The Liberator Online (www.theadvocates.org)
Robbery With A Badge
by James W. Harris
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
yup:
*sigh*
First they came for the fourth amendment,
and I did not speak out, because I didn't deal drugs.
Then they came for the fifth amendment,
and I was silent because I owned no property involved in crimes.
Then they came for the sixth amendment,
and I did not protest because I was innocent.
Then they came for the second amendment,
and I said nothing because I didn't own a gun.
And then they came for the first amendment,
and I could say nothing at all.
-- Anonymous; found on the internet
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| User: "Bacon" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
05 Oct 2006 08:13:24 PM |
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On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 14:05:36 GMT, CyberDroog
<CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over a
car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers said
the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
Would you believe them? I'm all for civil rights but if it looks like
a rat and smells like a rat...With a lawyer and a true story, proof of
earnings supported by valid tax returns and the money could easily be
tracked and documented as legally earned.
These fucks were up to no good and I'd rather the police force have
the cash than it circle the underground unreported.
I'm sure isolated incidents of fraudulent abuse exist, but I'm
confident that most asset seizures are legitimate and justified. Bad
cops get all the attention and the police force reputation suffers out
of proportion. Expcept for Nashville, I don't trust them for a
second.
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| User: "Kirby Cook" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
05 Oct 2006 08:45:49 PM |
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Bacon wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 14:05:36 GMT, CyberDroog
<CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over a
car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers said
the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
Would you believe them? I'm all for civil rights but if it looks like
a rat and smells like a rat...With a lawyer and a true story, proof of
earnings supported by valid tax returns and the money could easily be
tracked and documented as legally earned.
These fucks were up to no good and I'd rather the police force have
the cash than it circle the underground unreported.
I'm sure isolated incidents of fraudulent abuse exist, but I'm
confident that most asset seizures are legitimate and justified. Bad
cops get all the attention and the police force reputation suffers out
of proportion. Expcept for Nashville, I don't trust them for a
second.
So you, too, believe that a complete police state is the only
reasonable and prudent approach to government in these perilous times.
Kirby
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| User: "CyberDroog" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
06 Oct 2006 01:32:50 AM |
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On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:13:24 -0500, Bacon <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 14:05:36 GMT, CyberDroog
<CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over a
car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers said
the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
Would you believe them? I'm all for civil rights but if it looks like
a rat and smells like a rat...With a lawyer and a true story, proof of
earnings supported by valid tax returns and the money could easily be
tracked and documented as legally earned.
As the original article stated, it is now essentially illegal to carry
cash. Although $88,000 is well over the limit for private cash
transactions.
These fucks were up to no good and I'd rather the police force have
the cash than it circle the underground unreported.
I'm sure isolated incidents of fraudulent abuse exist, but I'm
confident that most asset seizures are legitimate and justified. Bad
cops get all the attention and the police force reputation suffers out
of proportion. Expcept for Nashville, I don't trust them for a
second.
I would give the cops the benefit of a doubt if it weren't for the fact
that they regularly seize amounts of cash that are under the private cash
transaction limit ($10,000).
The main problem with asset seizures is that very often there are no
charges filed against the owners of the cash. That is because people have
constitutional rights, including a right to an attorney. Cash has no rights
so, as insane as it seems, they file charges against the cash or property
seized. Cash or property have no constitutional rights. The owner then has
zero rights and must hire an attorney to try and get his cash or property
back.
Try paying for an attorney when all of your cash or property is gone. Even
if you win, the legal fees will likely wipe out what you have won back.
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| User: "Charles" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
06 Oct 2006 01:46:13 AM |
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On Fri, 06 Oct 2006 06:32:50 GMT, CyberDroog
<CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:13:24 -0500, Bacon <rbkfour@yahoo.com> wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 14:05:36 GMT, CyberDroog
<CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over a
car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers said
the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
Would you believe them? I'm all for civil rights but if it looks like
a rat and smells like a rat...With a lawyer and a true story, proof of
earnings supported by valid tax returns and the money could easily be
tracked and documented as legally earned.
As the original article stated, it is now essentially illegal to carry
cash. Although $88,000 is well over the limit for private cash
transactions.
These fucks were up to no good and I'd rather the police force have
the cash than it circle the underground unreported.
I'm sure isolated incidents of fraudulent abuse exist, but I'm
confident that most asset seizures are legitimate and justified. Bad
cops get all the attention and the police force reputation suffers out
of proportion. Expcept for Nashville, I don't trust them for a
second.
I would give the cops the benefit of a doubt if it weren't for the fact
that they regularly seize amounts of cash that are under the private cash
transaction limit ($10,000).
The main problem with asset seizures is that very often there are no
charges filed against the owners of the cash. That is because people have
constitutional rights, including a right to an attorney. Cash has no rights
so, as insane as it seems, they file charges against the cash or property
seized. Cash or property have no constitutional rights. The owner then has
zero rights and must hire an attorney to try and get his cash or property
back.
Try paying for an attorney when all of your cash or property is gone. Even
if you win, the legal fees will likely wipe out what you have won back.
I remember some time ago on the news that in one jurisdiction,
anything over $300 was considered to be drug money. The seizure is
done under federal law, so any claims to get it back would go to
federal court. Federal court will not accept claims under $5,000, so
if the seizure is less than that, then the loot belongs to the cops.
Charles
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| User: "Ivan Marsh" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
05 Oct 2006 09:32:45 PM |
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On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:13:24 -0500, Bacon wrote:
On Thu, 05 Oct 2006 14:05:36 GMT, CyberDroog
<CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
America's insane drug laws have turned cops into robbers.
Last week Davidson County, North Carolina sheriff's deputies pulled over
a car traveling on Interstate 85, southwest of Lexington. The officers
said the car was following too closely to another vehicle.
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver
and passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
Would you believe them? I'm all for civil rights but if it looks like a
rat and smells like a rat...With a lawyer and a true story, proof of
earnings supported by valid tax returns and the money could easily be
tracked and documented as legally earned.
These fucks were up to no good and I'd rather the police force have the
cash than it circle the underground unreported.
I'm sure isolated incidents of fraudulent abuse exist, but I'm confident
that most asset seizures are legitimate and justified. Bad cops get all
the attention and the police force reputation suffers out of proportion.
Expcept for Nashville, I don't trust them for a second.
Yea... Nashville and L.A. and San Francisco and Oakland and Prairie Du Sac
Wisconsin, and New Orleans and... and... and...
The problem with this case isn't the police it's the ridiculous laws that
have been put in place since the war on drugs began.
There's a famous case of an ATF/FBI raid on the mansion of a suspected
drug lord... they stormed his house, shot him dead and found no evidence
of drug use, much less, trafficking.
His estate is still trying to get his mansion, boats, cars and money that
the feds seized during the raid.
In many small towns in Wisconsin a routine traffic stops now include
calling in a canine unit and letting the dogs sniff around the car. Guess
how many times a warrant-less search of the inside of the car then
occurs... every time.
You can teach a dog to search for drugs or you can teach it to react like
it always smells drugs... you can't prosecute or sue a dog.
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| User: "Thomas Dehn" |
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| Title: Re: Robbery With A Badge |
05 Oct 2006 11:10:16 AM |
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x-no-archive: yes
"CyberDroog" <CyberDroog@ClockworkOrange.com> wrote:
While searching the car, the officers found $88,000 in cash. The driver and
passenger insisted the money was to buy a house in Atlanta.
The officers didn't believe them. So they called in a drug-sniffing dog.
According to the Davidson County newspaper The Dispatch, the dog "found a
strong odor of narcotics inside the car."
But no drugs were found. Nor any evidence of wrong-doing. So the two men
weren't charged with any crime and were free to leave.
But not with their $88,000. The sheriffs kept that.
Bad things can also happen to you if the cop
thinks (or claims) that he "smells" drugs at your place.
No actual drugs required.
Thus, having a stash of cash at home is not safe, either.
Thomas
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