Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
|
|
Some more excerpts:
When they were stopped in Tenaha in 2007, Boatright said, Russell came to the Tenaha police station to berate her and threaten to separate the family.
"I said, 'If it's the money you want, you can take it, if that's what it takes to keep my children with me and not separate them from us. Take the money,' " she said.
The document Henderson signed, which bears Russell's signature, states that in exchange for forfeiting the cash, "no criminal charges shall be filed ... and our children shall not be turned over" to the state's child protective services agency.
And one check for $10,000 went to Barry Washington, a Tenaha police officer whose name has come up in several complaints by stopped motorists. The money was paid for "investigative costs," the records state.
|
|
noshoesnoshirt
climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
|
|
"I find it kinda weird that all these people are out-of-towners and have large sums of cash on them passing through what appears to be a small town.
Are the cars chaepaer in Texas compared to Louisiana? Is Tehana sitting on a drug-corridor?
carry on LEO/Texas bashing.... "
C'mon Blue, you're better than that. As a staunch defender of the Constitution you should have a problem with this.
|
|
graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
|
|
Gdavis:"Its a bit fishy, isn't it, that they managed to fleece 3 million (this is what the well written article states) from this small town of one thousand residents? From 150 cases? Thats 20 grand PER case. You mean to tell me that 150 people drove by with 20 grand in cash to 'buy a car' or 'buy a restaurant?' puh-lease..."
The article never said that the police pulled in 3 million in 150 cases. The article said: "Guillory, who practices in nearby Nacogdoches, Texas, estimates authorities in Tenaha seized $3 million between 2006 and 2008, and in about 150 cases -- virtually all of which involved African-American or Latino motorists -- the seizures were improper."
The 3 million is from all seizures. Only some seizures - 150 in 2 years - were improper.
|
|
noshoesnoshirt
climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
|
|
Regardless of how it smells the subjects deserve the full protections of the 4th and 5th amendments.
If no charges are filed, and the subject is not found guilty of a crime, why does the gov't have the right to keep their money.
The same crowd who squawks about the feds dipping into their wallets via taxes seems to whole-heartedly endorse the local law seizing assets with no due process.
I flew to Denver a few years back to purchase a motorcycle.
I carried over $6000 cash with me. It is troubling to know the cops could have taken it from me at any time with no justification.
As far as litigation to recover the seized funds; it's rather a moot point unless the cash seized is more than the legal cost to recover it. Last I heard it wasn't worth pursuing anything under 40 or 50k.
|
|
atchafalaya
climber
Babylon
|
|
"Last I heard it wasn't worth pursuing anything under 40 or 50k."
Not true, if one is alleging a constitutional violation under 42 USC section 1983. Attorneys' fees can make a $10,000 into a $250,000 case, or more, if a constitutional violation can be proven. Unfortunately, the taxpayer would suffer, not the police.
|
|
noshoesnoshirt
climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
|
|
atcha,
Interesting, thanks for the heads up.
|
|
HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - May 5, 2009 - 05:52pm PT
|
"what are numerous people going through a small town with 5 and 6 grand going to get??? Buy a car.... sure. Hahaha. I feel unsafe walking around with a hundred bucks on me, much less fifty times that. "
GUYS GUYS! Let's assume everyone is guilty and then take all their shit!!
|
|
Reilly
Mountain climber
Monrovia, CA
|
|
I grew up in Chicago in the 50's and 60's. So the coppers helped themselves a little but boy that city ran like a Swiss watch. You got stopped for speeding, a tenner is wrapped around your license and everybody is happy except the f-head lawyers who don't get their cut. What's not to like? The difference was the Chicago coppers weren't greedy, too much.
|
|
corniss chopper
Mountain climber
san jose, ca
|
|
Only a Civil Suit!?!
If these Texas Officials had dark skin we'd have seen all of them perp walked with leg and wrist shackles. You know its true.
And these people are all still on the job! Amazing.
Says they built a wonderful new police station and but kept the old city hall. Shows who's really in charge eh?
|
|
noshoesnoshirt
climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
|
|
Yarrr.
The prison guards unions also provide huge opposition to decriminalisation of the demon weed.
Wouldn't want to lose all those jobs, eh?
|
|
graniteclimber
Trad climber
Nowhere
|
|
"Check out this poor guy/wizard. WARNING: Not Safe For Work
http://vimeo.com/4273363"
He's so, um, small. How embarrassing to have this video on the Internet! They tried to get him to cooperate.
|
|
Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
|
|
Those Texas cops - what a bunch of comedians! I mean, who'd a thunk that their real MO is to go around amocking people. Isn't that cruel and unusual punishment or something? Especially if done without due process? First three strikes you're out. Then claiming you're in a "war" on crime. Then imprisoning over 1% of the population, mostly for minor offences. But satire may be the best possible sentence.
|
|
Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
|
|
i love the reaction of some here who comment on the rap sheets of the people being squeezed-
guess what as#@&%es?
that's the same logic the cops used!
if you decide that someone, anyone, doesn't deserve something you expect, then it's YOU who are the being both unpatriotic and unamerican.
how can people really think like that?
un B lievable
ever heard of "innocent until proven guilty"?
(or maybe that only counts for the rich and the white?)
...screw it, just torture 'em, they'll confess soon enough.
|
|
Robb
Social climber
It's like FoCo in NoCo Daddy-O!
|
|
Heads up for you guys on this. The town of Columbia Falls MT is also a revenue generating speed trap. Hwy 2 east, the major road into Glacier Natl. Park runs right through town. Downtown for about 3 or 4 blocks the speed limit is posted at 25mph, but the signs are hard to see w/ the back drop of stores. They will bag you for 2 mph over- it's how they fund govt.
|
|
atchafalaya
climber
Babylon
|
|
Innocent until proven guilty does not mean that rap sheets aren't relevant. I asked because their credibility is at issue, cause of the claims they made. Almost all felonies are admissible in criminal and civil proceedings because they shed light on a person's credibility. Misdemeanors involving crimes of moral turpitude are also admissible at trial.
Your right. We should believe everything a criminal defendant or civil plaintiff tells us because its Amerikan. Bullsh#t.
I agree with 99.9 percent of your posts but dont be a Dumbass Matt. I am not saying the cops did the right thing, just wonder how honest the plaintiff's are about the large amount of cash and what they were doing.
If the cops had the suspects sign a sheet forfeiting their cash in exchange for no time or loss of children, I think they should do time, and/or be found civilly liable. But I have to believe the plaintiff's to get there, and I have questions about their, and all plaintiffs credibility, black, white, asian, indian, or alien.
|
|
GDavis
Trad climber
|
|
Watching that hippie get tazed was the best part of my day.
and atcha explained pretty much exactly the way i feel. Oh well, I guess he is a blind nazi too...
|
|
noshoesnoshirt
climber
dangling off a wind turbine in a town near you
|
|
"I am not saying the cops did the right thing, just wonder how honest the plaintiff's are about the large amount of cash and what they were doing.
If the cops had the suspects sign a sheet forfeiting their cash in exchange for no time or loss of children, I think they should do time, and/or be found civilly liable. But I have to believe the plaintiff's to get there, and I have questions about their, and all plaintiffs credibility, black, white, asian, indian, or alien.
"
I honestly don't give a crap about the background of the "suspect" ( I put this in quotes because none of them were charged with sh#t, the only thing they were really suspected of was having cash the Texicans could use).
What it comes down to for me is our basic Constitutional rights, or do those no longer have any meaning?
Sadly it seems not.
|
|
Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
|
|
so lemme get this straight-
they got nuthin on these people 'cept they are carrying some cash-
and if they have a record, you are then ok w/ the cops taking that money, under threat of taking their freedom or their kids.
and it seems the practice is disproportionately used w/ minorities-
...in the south.
oh ok, my bad-
that all sounds fine-
what was i thinking?
|
|
Captain...or Skully
Social climber
North of the Owyhees
|
|
I got stopped in Missouri once And run in to the courthouse because I had a Cali License.
The cop was kinda borderline friendly until he saw it.
Then I became the enemy. Cost me 150 bucks.
That or jail. I paid up & ran like Hell.It ain't JUST Texas........
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!