Asset forfeiture laws abused in insane "war on drugs": James Varney/links
By James Varney
December 11, 2014
Anyone who thinks the "war on drugs" is only a waste of money isn't grasping the complete insanity of it. It is an obscene waste of money but the human cost is worse.
Here's a story about a drug raid gone bad in Georgia. The main source for the story appears to be the victim's lawyer, but he cites medical records that show invading cops fired 17 shots. They killed David Hooks in his own home. No drugs were found.
Police work can be dangerous business and the narcotics world isn't for the meek. Of course, that cuts both ways. In other words, things would be a lot safer for our cops, too, if America came to its senses and legalized drugs.
The war on drugs' victims aren't confined to America, either. How many stories of savage bloodbaths in Mexico must we read before we realize legalizing this stuff - and taxing and controlling it - would not only mean a financial bonanza for government but a more peaceful hemisphere?
An extension of the war on drugs is the widespread law enforcement practice of asset forfeiture. This is something like an epidemic of its own.
It's been going on for decades. The Orlando Sentinel won a Pulitzer Prize back in 1993 for exploring a local sheriff's drug squad's seizure of millions, mostly from minorities.
It's another example of how laws have unintended consequences and its yet another indictment of the war on drugs. Asset forfeiture was designed to hit top bad guys in the wallet and the laws gave law enforcement a powerful tool. It's routinely abused, however, and metastasized into nothing less than a fundraiser.
For one thing, assets are frequently seized before conviction. The cops are taking stuff - houses, cash, cars - on arrest and, in some cases, not returning it even if the charges are dropped or there is an acquittal. One need not be a drug kingpin, either.
Louisiana gets a C- grade on its asset forfeiture laws from the Institute for Justice. But the abuses aren't confined by geography. It's happening in Iowa, where cops are accused of building slush funds with the seizures. It's happening in Colorado. And it's still happening in Florida.
There have been some attempts at reform, most notably in 2000. But this abuse has become ingrained. It's become a form of state-sanctioned robbery, and another outrageous violation of individual rights that would be reduced by decriminalizing drugs.
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2014/12/asset_forfeiture_laws_abused_i.html
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State sanctioned criminals and thugs.
By James Varney
December 11, 2014
Anyone who thinks the "war on drugs" is only a waste of money isn't grasping the complete insanity of it. It is an obscene waste of money but the human cost is worse.
Here's a story about a drug raid gone bad in Georgia. The main source for the story appears to be the victim's lawyer, but he cites medical records that show invading cops fired 17 shots. They killed David Hooks in his own home. No drugs were found.
Police work can be dangerous business and the narcotics world isn't for the meek. Of course, that cuts both ways. In other words, things would be a lot safer for our cops, too, if America came to its senses and legalized drugs.
The war on drugs' victims aren't confined to America, either. How many stories of savage bloodbaths in Mexico must we read before we realize legalizing this stuff - and taxing and controlling it - would not only mean a financial bonanza for government but a more peaceful hemisphere?
An extension of the war on drugs is the widespread law enforcement practice of asset forfeiture. This is something like an epidemic of its own.
It's been going on for decades. The Orlando Sentinel won a Pulitzer Prize back in 1993 for exploring a local sheriff's drug squad's seizure of millions, mostly from minorities.
It's another example of how laws have unintended consequences and its yet another indictment of the war on drugs. Asset forfeiture was designed to hit top bad guys in the wallet and the laws gave law enforcement a powerful tool. It's routinely abused, however, and metastasized into nothing less than a fundraiser.
For one thing, assets are frequently seized before conviction. The cops are taking stuff - houses, cash, cars - on arrest and, in some cases, not returning it even if the charges are dropped or there is an acquittal. One need not be a drug kingpin, either.
Louisiana gets a C- grade on its asset forfeiture laws from the Institute for Justice. But the abuses aren't confined by geography. It's happening in Iowa, where cops are accused of building slush funds with the seizures. It's happening in Colorado. And it's still happening in Florida.
There have been some attempts at reform, most notably in 2000. But this abuse has become ingrained. It's become a form of state-sanctioned robbery, and another outrageous violation of individual rights that would be reduced by decriminalizing drugs.
http://www.nola.com/opinions/index.ssf/2014/12/asset_forfeiture_laws_abused_i.html
...............................................................................................................................................
State sanctioned criminals and thugs.
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