Pubdate: Fri, 29 Mar 2002 Source: Springfield News-Leader (MO) Copyright: 2002 The Springfield News-Leader Contact: http://www.springfieldnews-leader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1129 Author: James Trogolo Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) FORFEITURE LAWS No One's Property Is Safe From Seizure Property seizure (asset forfeiture) laws, which were originally intended as a tool to strip major drug traffickers of their ill-gotten gains, are today used against innocent and guilty alike. Government agencies have become so addicted to the booty (they get to keep all or part of what they seize) that guilt, innocence or magnitude of crime are often immaterial. No one's property is safe from possible seizure since the government is not required to prove the owner guilty of any wrongdoing. In the vast majority of property seizure cases, no charges are ever officially filed. Guilt by association, guilt by innuendo and guilt by unsubstantiated accusation are all sufficient causes for seizure. Civil forfeiture laws, unlike criminal laws, are heavily weighted in favor of government, with little in the way of constitutional protection for the property owner. The abuses of the seizure laws are so rampant that in April 2000 the U.S. Congress amended the federal law to correct some (but not all) of the problems. However, state and local laws remain as written. Now seizure laws are being expanded to cover other crimes. If the courts are going to continue to be unconcerned about the trampling of our constitutional rights to property and due process, then we must demand that our legislators repeal these laws altogether. If government today has the right to steal our property, what rights will it have tomorrow? James Trogolo, Battlefield - --- MAP posted-by: Ariel