Pubdate: Fri, 12 Sep 2014
Source: Washington Post (DC)
Copyright: 2014 The Washington Post Company
Contact: http://mapinc.org/url/mUgeOPdZ
Website: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/491
Author: James G. Russell
Page: A22
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v14/n736/a08.html

FORFEITING RIGHTS ALONG WITH CASH

It is astounding that, under civil forfeiture laws, the police can 
seize anyone's cash, automobile or house by claiming that these 
assets relate to criminal activity and then dare the victim to go to 
considerable expense and effort to get his or her property back.

The best targets for this scam are transients, since it would be very 
inconvenient for them to return to the site of the seizure as the 
legal process drags on, and the poor, since after the seizure they do 
not have the assets to hire a lawyer.

This inversion of due process may indeed be a useful tool against 
criminals, but so would simply locking up or shooting people 
suspected of crimes. Americans are entitled to have the government 
prove that they committed a crime before the government denies them 
their life, liberty or property.

James G. Russell, Alexandria
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom