Pubdate: Wed, 01 Mar 2000 Source: New York Times (NY) Copyright: 2000 The New York Times Company Contact: 229 West 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036 Fax: (212) 556-3622 Website: http://www.nytimes.com/ Forum: http://www10.nytimes.com/comment/ Author: James R. Maxeiner Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n287/a06.html FORFEITURE UNFAIRNESS To the Editor: Shifting the burden of proof to the government will not make forfeiture law fair if all the government has to prove is that the property figured in a crime (editorial, Feb. 28). Unless ownership of the property is itself unlawful, as with contraband or illegally acquired goods, taking property without compensation is fair only if imposed as punishment for some wrongdoing of the owner. James R. Maxeiner, Murray Hill, N.J., Feb. 29, 2000 - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D