Philly D.A. Indicted

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He got a couch

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Article by a CNN reporter. No mention of party affiliation so there's no doubt he's a Dem.

He's a minority tinted person.

This is the same DA that was seizing people's houses over minor amounts of drugs (<$50) without convictions involving civil action forfeiture.

Anti-Catholic bitch going down

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This is the same DA that was seizing people's houses over minor amounts of drugs (<$50) without convictions involving civil action forfeiture.

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Wonder how much of that went into his pocket.

He deserves general population. And not white collar resort prison. He shoukd go to Office Space prison.

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shite i think it was worse than that. i believe it was the house of the parents of a kid who had drugs, so the actual potential defendant's property wasn't even seized

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Fascinating interview with the actual attorney that handled the Sorovellis case you're referring to.

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Q:Under D.A. Williams, were you happy with the way it worked? [RE Civil asset forfeiture]

A:Yes, because drug dealers should not profit from the narcotics trade, and as far as forfeiting houses, the story that consistently gets lost or ignored are those of the neighbors who were suffering because there were drug properties on their block. That’s never mentioned. People who can’t sit on their porches, people who are afraid for their children to pass drug houses on their way to and from school. The story that often gets neglected is that these are properties owned by out-of-state landlords who do not care how they are maintained at all and are only using it for economic enrichment without properly maintaining them, commercial properties that are not being taken care of.

Around the corner from here is the warehouse where we lost two firefighters, where there were out-of-state landlords who did not properly maintain the property. So it’s an effective tool to maintain public safety and make things safe for neighbors. As chief of the public nuisance task force, I never wanted to say to a neighbor who is suffering because there was a drug property on the block, “Why don’t you move?” It’s not for that person to move. These are folks who have lived on their block for 30, 40, 50 years and they’ve seen it turn. And when you live next door to a drug property and you can’t sit on your porch anymore, that’s not right.

Q:Critics of civil asset forfeiture say that the proceeds should go to the school district instead of the District Attorney’s office because doing the latter creates a perverse financial incentive. Do you think the assets should continue going to the D.A.’s office?

A:I think it should remain going to the District Attorney’s office as the statute is written now. That is how it reads. Now if the legislature should happen to change it, of course, we would abide by the law whatever it does.

Q:You’ve brought up cases in which a house becomes a drug-dealing house. We’ve also seen investigations in the press that aren’t as extreme as that. One involved the Sourovelis family in Philadelphia. Chris Sourovelis’ son was caught dealing $40 worth of drugs to an undercover police officer, and then the D.A.’s office tried to seize his home. Chris and his wife claimed that this was the first time they had ever heard about him dealing drugs. What’s the logic in something like that?

A:What upset me most about that property — and let me make it very clear it was heroin — and what upset me very much is what that showed me is that heroin arrived in the Northeast [section of the city]. In the 7th Police District, we don’t see a lot of crime. And that was very startling for me. I attended the symposium at Temple University in November about the opioid crisis, and they talked about opioids and heroin. Out of 10 people, I believe, it was two of those who become immediately addicted to heroin the first time out of the gate, and that’s what really, really disturbed me.

Now there were other factors that went into that particular case, which involved a pit bull, not opening the door, evidence being flushed down the toilet. So it’s not quite as cut-and-dry as the press [said it was]. But it really, really disturbs me because heroin has now hit outer reaches of the city.

Q:Is it fair to seize the home of someone who has nothing to do with the crime, though?

A:That is called constructive possession. And again, every case is different based upon facts.

Q:Critics say that during your time in charge of civil asset forfeiture program in the D.A.’s office, there were many seizures of amounts of money as small as $50, which led to the perception that the D.A.’s office was “nickel and diming” people. Do you want to respond to that criticism?

A:Drug-dealing is drug-dealing, and the statute does not set a limit on what narcotics assets can be seized or not seized. If you are making a sale and you just created another heroin addict on our streets, there’s consequences. You should not be permitted to profit from that. It’s that simple.

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Real piece of work- also a candidate for DA

Also:

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Q:Would you accept gifts as D.A.?

Absolutely not. You accept nothing. Zero. I don’t care what it is. You say, “Thank you very much, but I cannot accept it.” And it’s better to be safe than sorry. You take nothing.

Q:Do you think super PACs should be involved in the DA’s race? Would you be OK with it if a super PAC supported you?

A:No and no.

Q:Are you seeking support from the Fraternal Order of Police?

A:Yes.

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This is the same DA that was seizing people's houses over minor amounts of drugs (<$50) without convictions involving civil action forfeiture.

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Wow just wow

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Wow just wow

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Yeah roadside stops are just small potatoes compared to seizing whole houses. A whole new way to fund their department too- it made up 20% of their budget.

No perverse incentives there, nope, none.