The Houston Chronicle reports: Authorities in a Texas town under investigation for allegedly shaking down motorists for their cash sometimes used the travelers’ children as bargaining chips in their attempt to seize money, records show. Documents reviewed by The Associated Press describe the…
Read more ›
Blog Archives
Why I Don’t Believe the Rohrabacher-Hinchey-Farr Amendment Will Stop Medical Marijuana Raids
Edit: I don’t mean to discourage participation in any of the several petition/mobilization efforts that are ongoing in support of the Rohrabacher-Hinchey-Farr Amendment. I do mean to suggest that we ought to push for better legislation to support. In an…
Read more ›
Tagged with: AFF, DEA, DOJ, HR 5326, marijuana, Rohrabacher-Hinchey-Farr Amendment, Steph Sherer
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Update: Terrance Huff Sues Collinsville (IL) Police Over Unconstitutional Traffic Stop
Update from Radley Balko: Filmmaker Terrance Huff has filed a lawsuit against the city of Collinsville, Illinois, and Collinsville police officer Michael Reichert over a traffic stop last December. The suit was filed Tuesday morning in the United States District…
Read more ›
Forfeiture as a weapon in the federal war on medical marijuana
Montana attorney Chris Lindsey has an excellent essay in the publication Medical Marijuana Business Daily on the federal prosecution of medical marijuana businesses in medical marijuana states. The entire essay is worth a read and I excerpt the forfeiture-relevant portion:…
Read more ›
After rewarding his drug cops with shiny coins, NOLA police superintendent Ronal Serpas is puzzled by death of unarmed man in Wednesday pot raid
Remember Ronal Serpas, the New Orleans Police Chief (now superintendent) who used his federal drug asset forfeiture funds to buy shiny “Challenge Coins” from Odgen, Utah firm Symbol Arts? In June 2011 Serpas explained that the “challenge coins” were meant…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Jared Francom, Joshua Colclough, Louisiana, Matthew Stewart, New Orleans, Ogden, Ronal Serpas, Utah, Wendell Allen
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Enforcing the drug laws, VA sheriffs become addicted to cash
While Virginia lawmakers ponder a mediocre and possibly unconstitutional set of reforms to Virginia’s asset forfeiture law, two Virginia sheriffs face prosecution over their abuse of forfeiture funds. Yesterday in Halifax County, investigators served search warrants at a fourth bank,…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Guy Abbott, Halifax County, Middlesex County, Scott Bullock, Scott Meiner, Sheriff, Stanley Noblin, Virginia
Posted in Drug War, states
Posted in Drug War, states
“The sheriff can do whatever he wants with his money”
We’ve covered the prosecution and sentencing of Joe Frank Garza, the Texas prosecutor (79th district) who was ostracized for spending over $2 million dollars from his personal forfeiture slush fund. Now, an audit has revealed that the local sheriff’s office…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Balde Lozano, Brooks County, equitable sharing, Joe Frank Garza, Texas
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
The Motel Caswell and the Red Carpet Inn
The Tewksbury, MA Police Department and the US Attorneys Office are persisting with a civil asset forfeiture claim of the Motel Caswell. They allege that controlled substance violations and numerous narcotics investigations are tied to Russell Caswell’s property. The investigations…
Read more ›
Tagged with: CAFRA, civil asset forfeiture, Eric Holder, Henry Hyde, Institute for Justice, Motel Caswell, NACDL, Red Carpet Inn, Russell Caswell, Tewksbury Police, Thomas M. Casey
Posted in Drug War, federal
Posted in Drug War, federal
Halifax County, VA sheriff Stanley Noblin under investigation for embezzling $83,000
The Gazette-Virginian reports: Virginia State Police Special Agent Accountant William M. Talbert initiated an investigation of Sheriff Noblin at the request of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II on Oct. 11, which “revealed the fact that certain monies totaling approximately…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Halifax County, Institute for Justice, Scott Bullock, Sheriff Noblin, Stanly Noblin, Virginia, War on Drugs
Posted in Drug War, states
Posted in Drug War, states
Jonathan Whitworth’s Dismissed Civil Suit
Last week, U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey granted summary judgement to dismiss the civil rights suit (raised under 42 U.S.C. § 1983) of Jonathan Whitworth, Brittany Whitworth, and their son. The civil rights claim stems from a February 2010 Columbia, Missouri SWAT raid that went viral…
Read more ›
Tagged with: asset forfeiture, Brian Kelly, Columbia, Jonathan Whitworth, Missouri, Nanette Laughrey, Qualified Immunity, Radley Balko, Summary Judgement, SWAT, SWAT raids
Posted in Drug War, Uncategorized
Posted in Drug War, Uncategorized
Fictitious Justice
Joe Hogsett, U.S. Attorney with the Southern District of Indiana, recently awarded Seymour Police Chief Bill Abbott and Jackson County Prosecutor Rick Poynter with checks, for $9,018.20 and $1,288.39, for their agencies’ roles in a seizure of $13,000 that…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Bill Abbott, civil asset forfeiture, DOJ, equitable sharing, forfeiture, Indiana, Jackson County, January Wetzel, Joe Hogsett, Rick Poynter, seizure, Seymour Police
Posted in Drug War, federal
Posted in Drug War, federal
DOJ’s New Christmas List: More Naughty Than Nice
While most of the news coming out of Lanny Breuer’s November 1st appearance, before the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism, centered on the Fast and Furious Gunwalker scandal, it bears paying attention to why the Assistant Attorney General of…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Attorney General, civil asset forfeiture, civil forfeiture, Department of Justice, DOJ, drug war, Fast and Furious, Lanny Breuer
Posted in Drug War, federal
Posted in Drug War, federal
Oaksterdam University Founder Threatened with Asset Forfeiture
As part of the ongoing federal crackdown on medical marijuana in California, Melinda Haag, United States attorney for the Northern District of California, has set her sights on well-known dispensary owner and activist Richard Lee. Lee founded Oaksterdam University, which…
Read more ›
Wendy McElroy on “The American Nightmare That Is Civil Asset Forfeiture”
Libertarian writer Wendy McElroy provides a concise overview of civil asset forfeiture laws in the United States with the recent Motel Caswell seizure in Massachusetts as the key example. Her conclusion is worth quoting extensively: Not only does civil forfeiture…
Read more ›
WSJ on the Camp Zoe seizure
Excellent coverage! Let me excerpt briefly here: Under federal law, a property owner can face 20 years in prison if prosecutors can prove the owner knowingly allowed illegal drugs to be used or sold on his premises—even if he isn’t…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Camp Zoe, Dave Roland, Freedom Center of Missouri, Jimmy Tebeau, Missouri, Richard Callahan
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
U.S. Attorney Targets Marijuana Friendly Press Outlets for Forfeiture
Federal prosecutors continue to employ asset forfeiture as their weapon of choice in their new offensive against medical marijuana in California. California Watch reports: U.S. Attorney Laura E. Duffy, whose district includes Imperial and San Diego counties, said marijuana advertising…
Read more ›
Please Join Us In Opposing H.R. 313
We ask you to join Americans for Forfeiture Reform and the Drug Policy Alliance in registering your opinion on H.R. 313 by clicking on our Facebook/Popvox links. Your opinion will be delivered to your congressperson. H.R. 313, the Drug Trafficking Safe…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Adam Schiff, administrative forfeiture, asset forfeiture, Chill Freedom of Assembly, Chill Freedom of Speech, Congress, Congressman Adam Schiff, Congressman Lamar Smith, conspiracy, Controlled Substances Act, corruption, CSA, David Roland, Drug Policy Alliance, Freedom Center of Missouri, H.R. 313, House Judiciary Committee, HR 313, Lamar Smith, mandatory minimums, Marc Emery, minimum sentencing, prosecutors, Suppress Voter Intent, the Drug Trafficking Safe Harbor Elimination Act of 2011
Posted in Drug War, federal
Posted in Drug War, federal
Feds Use Forfeiture as a Cudgel Against Medical Marijuana Dispensaries
The federal government is once again ramping up its war on medical marijuana in states such as California where it is legal under state law. They have always used asset forfeiture to threaten medical marijuana dispensaries, but the new strategy…
Read more ›
Forfeiture roundup 10/2/2011
1. Tennessee’s Department of Safety and Homeland Security graciously provides this FAQ for people who’ve had their property taken from them (sarcasm intended). 2. New Mexico cops seize 102 pounds of marijuana and 28 guns from New Mexico resident. Money…
Read more ›
Tagged with: Camden County, Jackson County, Kansas, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Shawnee County, State Department, Tennessee
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Santa’s $140,000 Present
The first line of this article from the Hawaii Tribune-Herald probably says more than the author intended: Christmas came early for Big Island police, with Uncle Sam playing Santa. Of course, when the department relies on Santa’s gifts to continue business…
Read more ›
