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…
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…
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:…
The Liar Running for LA Superior Court
Today, the Metropolitan Daily news, an Los Angeles daily newspaper focusing largely on law and the courts, endorsed one of four candidates in the race for an open seat on the LA Superior Court. What was more notable than their…
Asset forfeiture in The Economist
Nice paragraph today, the rest of the article is worth a read: IN 2010 federal prosecutors seized nearly $2 billion in forfeited assets—that is, property deemed to be used in or derived from a crime. That is more than six…
And another one bites the dust
Parts of Techpowerup.com have been seized by the Department of Homeland Security: Hat tip: Senator32 on Reddit
Posted in Uncategorized
US Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) blasts NOAA forfeiture fund abuses in letter to Commerce Secretary Bryson
Last week, US Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) wrote a letter to Commerce Secretary John Bryson requesting a formal and direct meeting between House and Senate Appropriations and Oversight Committees, Commerce Dept. officials, NOAA officials, and representatives from the Office of…
Tagged with: Commerce Department, Dale Jones, Delaware, John Bryson, Maine, Massachusetts, NOAA, Scott Brown, Susan Collins, Tom Carper
Posted in federal
Posted in federal
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…
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
Against writs of assistance, 251 years later
Today is the 251st anniversary of James Otis’s famous five-hour oration against King George II’s Writs of Assistance at the Boston Old State House in Paxton’s Case. In this case, 53 Boston merchants who challenged the search and seizure powers…
Tagged with: America, Boston, James Otis, John Adams, King George II, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration, Old State House, Paxton's Case, Writs of Assistance
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
MA: US Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) slams NOAA agency head Lubchenco for “booze cruise” luxury boat purchased with forfeiture slush fund
SouthCoastToday.com reports: Rather than “undercover” work, a $300,787 luxury power boat purchased with money from the asset forfeiture fund was used mainly as a pleasure boat for “booze cruise” excursions by NOAA fisheries agents in the Pacific Northwest, according to…
In rare jury nullification victory, Dr. David Allen reclaims his freedom and property from Jackson County MS Sheriff
WLOX 13 in Jackson, Mississippi, reports on an extremely rare victory by a citizen against the government in a civil forfeiture case. The man in question is a physician named David Allen; Allen incidentally credits jury nullification with helping…
Tagged with: District Attorney Anthony N. Lawrence, Dr. David Allen, Jackson County, Mississippi, Sheriff Mike Byrd
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
$25,000 Sheriff’s website an “allowable use of forfeiture funds”
In Loudoun Country, Virginia, Sheriff Mike Chapman wants to spend $25,000 on a new website and $7,500 for “rebranding” the old sheriff’s computer surveillance program (which basically means a $7,500 photoshoot): Money in the asset forfeiture funds is made up…
Tagged with: Broad Run, Loudoun County, Mike Chapman, Shawn Williams, Stephen Simpson, Virginia
Posted in states
Posted in 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,…
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
“Should you seize the diamond rings?” Ohio prosecutor John Ferro explains Ohio’s forfeiture law
John Ferro, the prosecuting attorney for Stark County, Ohio, gave the following presentation on asset forfeiture under Ohio law (Ohio Revised Code Title 2981) at the 2011 Law Enforcement Conference held by Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine. The presentation is here (it…
“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…
Tagged with: Balde Lozano, Brooks County, equitable sharing, Joe Frank Garza, Texas
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
Posted in Drug War, federal, states
US Attorney Ronald Machen on his office’s budget: “Don’t ask, we won’t tell”
Continuing in the tradition of unelected bureaucrats who operate with virtual independence from the confines of democratic governance or even the boundaries of the law comes United States Attorney Ronald Machen of the US Attorney’s Office of the District of…
Give AFR some holiday love!
Yesterday, Radley Balko at The Agitator graciously plugged Americans for Forfeiture Reform as a donation-worthy organization this holiday season: Friend of The Agitator Eapen Thampy has started a promising new organization calledAmericans for Forfeiture Reform, which works to raise awareness…
Posted in Endorsements
With unrestrained seizure powers, Philly code-enforcement agents go pillaging
Normally, when we cover stories of unjust seizure and forfeiture in the United States, the guilty agency or agent is a law enforcement agent associated with the criminal justice system. Unfortunately, the access of law enforcement to vast seizure and…
Tagged with: Fourth Amendment, municipal code enforcement, Philadelphia, tyranny
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted in Uncategorized
