Civil Asset Forfeiture

[_MeDotOrg]

Most of the time I try to stay away from videos, but this John Oliver piece on Civil Asset Forfeiture will make you laugh hysterically and howl with rage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kEpZWGgJks

Here's an article in the Washington Post.

[_subgenius]

What rock have you been under?

[_subgenius]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/chrishamby/gove ... le#4axnzzs

A DEA agent commandeered a woman’s identity, created a phony Facebook account in her name, and posted racy photos he found on her seized cell phone. The government said he had the right to do that.

[Guest]

What rock have you been under?

What are you implying by that remark? That everyone should already be aware of this widespread injustice, and that there is therefore nothing to be gained by pointing it out and speaking out against it? Or, are you perhaps implying that victims of such injustice have only themselves to blame for being vulnerable to it?

Do you even dispute that it is indeed a real abuse of law enforcement authority that ought to be addressed and sharply curtailed or eliminated?

[_Gunnar]

This is yet more damning evidence that too often our criminal justice system is much more concerned about getting convictions than about protecting the rights of the accused and avoiding law enforcement abuse.

[_EAllusion]

Pfft. This thread is totally stepping on my toes in this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=35833

I talking about asset forfeiture there in a little detail. I even link the story linked here because, as many posters might have guessed, I heart Radley Balko.

Though it looks like the Oliver bit postdates that. So there's that. Also, shout out to UW-Madison.

ETA: I covered basically every point Oliver makes here. Yay me.

[_subgenius]

What rock have you been under?

What are you implying by that remark? That everyone should already be aware of this widespread injustice, and that there is therefore nothing to be gained by pointing it out and speaking out against it? Or, are you perhaps implying that victims of such injustice have only themselves to blame for being vulnerable to it?

Do you even dispute that it is indeed a real abuse of law enforcement authority that ought to be addressed and sharply curtailed or eliminated?

No, that this sort of thing has been going on for decades and to suddenly post it online as some sort of civil outrage gesture is exactly why it occurs. Posting a link on MD is hardly "speaking out"....but then again, you guys think the Daily Show is an actual news show.

[_canpakes]

No, that this sort of thing has been going on for decades and to suddenly post it online as some sort of civil outrage gesture is exactly why it occurs.

Posting a link on MD is hardly "speaking out"....but then again, you guys think the Daily Show is an actual news show.

That reminds me...

http://hij.sagepub.com/content/14/2/212.abstract

[_EAllusion]

No, that this sort of thing has been going on for decades

How long has it been going on subgenius? What are the trends?

[_EAllusion]

Sherrif complains to Donald Trump that a state Senator is trying to get legislation passed that would, gasp, require a conviction be obtained before police can seize assets.

Donald Trump, offering a sympathetic ear, is aghast and offers to destroy that person's career. The room laughs at this "joke".