Pubdate: Sat, 22 Dec 2001
Source: Hendersonville Times-News (NC)
Copyright: 2001 Hendersonville Newspaper Corporation
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/793
Website: http://www.hendersonvillenews.com/
Author: John Loughery
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v01/n2087/a02.html?1153
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)

WARNING LETTER WAS OFF-BASE

To The Editor: Regarding the story of Mr. Kevin Collins' receiving a letter
from the Hendersonville Police Department informing him that he had been
observed in a high crime area late at night, I have to agree with his
objections. While not a perfect parallel it immediately brought to mind
those situations where women are blamed for their own rapes because they
exercised their constitutional rights to travel through the "wrong"
neighborhoods.

Another sore point for me was raised in the police's rationale for warning
car owners about lending a car that could be used in a drug transaction. The
car can be seized. 

Does that punish the criminal or unjustly enrich the Police Department? Even
rental cars have been seized. In the eyes of the law the justification is
that the vehicle is being arrested.

Talk about legal fictions! The true motive for that law is clear to me.

John Loughery

Hendersonville
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