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Texas looking to abolish civil asset forfeiture
Posted on 1/9/17 at 9:48 am
Posted on 1/9/17 at 9:48 am
LINK
quote:
Texas is looking to become the third state in the last year to abolish civil asset forfeiture, and replace it with criminal asset forfeiture. State Senator Konni Burton filed a bill last month which requires a felony conviction before law enforcement can gobble up someone’s property. It’s a major step in Texas’ fight for justice reform which has saved the state $3B (while crime rates are at record lows).
Civil asset forfeiture is a bit of a sticky wicket at times, because there are “tough on crime” groups fighting hard against it. The Federalist Society published a pro-asset forfeiture piece by then-federal prosecutor Stefan Cassella in 1997. Cassella called asset forfeiture very important because “federal law enforcement can employ it against all manner of criminal and criminals organizations.”
Forfeiture is also used to abate nuisances and to take the instrumentalities of crime out of circulation. For example, if drug dealers are using a “crack house” to sell drugs to children as they pass by on the way to school, the building is a danger to the health and safety of the neighborhood. Under the forfeiture laws, we can shut it down. If a boat or truck is being used to smuggle illegal aliens across the border, we can forfeit the vessel or vehicle to prevent its use time and again for the same purpose. The same is true for an airplane used to fly cocaine from Peru into Southern California, or a printing press used to mint phony $100 bills.
The government also uses forfeiture to take the profit out of crime, and to return property to victims. No one has the right to retain the money gained from bribery, extortion, illegal gambling, or drug dealing. With the forfeiture laws, we can separate the criminal from his profits — and any property traceable to it — thus removing the incentive others may have to commit similar crimes tomorrow. And if the crime is one that has victims — like carjacking or fraud — we can use the forfeiture laws to recover the property and restore it to the owners far more effectively than the restitution statutes permit.
Sounds pretty compelling, right?
There’s just one problem…the asset forfeiture laws are being misapplied in cases where people who are not convicted of crimes, end up losing their property because prosecutors and police believe they “may have” been involved in/had knowledge of a crime. A Philadelphia family was forced out of their home because their son was arrested on drug charges, even though it didn’t appear they knew what the 22-year-old was doing. A Texas man had over 53-thousand dollars in cash donations for an orphanage and school seized after he was pulled over in Oklahoma.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 9:51 am to cajunangelle
quote:
State Senator Konni Burton
A Hero.
It's a travesty that this is even a bill. Or, that it should be celebrated.
This post was edited on 1/9/17 at 9:52 am
Posted on 1/9/17 at 9:51 am to cajunangelle
That's a trend I'd like to see continue.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 9:58 am to Draconian Sanctions
quote:
to Texas on this
I'd be shocked if the state LE agencies let this even get past committee. They tried in 2015 to, and it didn't get very far.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:01 am to cajunangelle
quote:
Texas looking to abolish civil asset forfeiture
Sessions won't be happy
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:01 am to cajunangelle
Yeah the sheriffs and PD's will never let that pass.
Why kill the golden goose that keeps them afloat?
Why kill the golden goose that keeps them afloat?
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:14 am to NYNolaguy1
quote:
Yeah the sheriffs and PD's will never let that pass.
i just want more of these bills introduced to have this lobby exposed as a lobby of thieves
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:25 am to cajunangelle
A step in the right direction
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:28 am to cajunangelle
That's good, if they still have to prove what they are taking was actually paid for or used for the crime they are convicted of.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:28 am to cajunangelle
All it means us there will be a shite ton of plea bargains in a money grab by prosecutors and a lit of arrests on BS charges with little actual evidence.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:52 am to CorporateTiger
Lots of DA and Sheriff pressure to kill any attempt in LA to do away with this because of the cars and cash.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:52 am to fatboydave
quote:yeah i can't wait until a similar bill comes up in LA b/c I will speak out
Lots of DA and Sheriff pressure to kill any attempt in LA to do away with this because of the cars and cash
this doesn't eliminate forfeiture of convicted criminals, so teir argument is utter bullshite
Posted on 1/9/17 at 10:56 am to cajunangelle
How is this legal? Supreme Court ruled on this? This is just government theft even if a court ruled to allow it. The king of England would be proud. I would be for impeaching any federal official who thinks this is OK. The standard should be needs a conviction
This post was edited on 1/9/17 at 10:58 am
Posted on 1/9/17 at 11:38 am to jb4
One state at a time, if that's the way it has to be.
Posted on 1/9/17 at 1:25 pm to FightinTigersDammit
Nice. Let's be honest - civil asset forfeiture is nothing more than a license to steal, period.
This post was edited on 1/9/17 at 3:26 pm
Posted on 1/9/17 at 1:35 pm to cajunangelle
Probably a dumb question, but civil asset forfeiture has been a hot topic on this board for quite some time....anyone have some good links I could read about why it's such a terrible thing? Sure there are overzealous police departments that would love to seize your new Bentley and convert it to a cop car, but what else? TIA
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