Newsclipping summary:

FEAR-List Bulletin posted by Leon Felkins, 4/2/98 - revised 10/01/01

A federal jury has awarded $21,800 to family members of a convicted
drug dealer, forcing the Bucks County district attorney to refund a
portion of the property seized under state drug-forfeiture laws.

But in its verdict Tuesday, the jury declined to find that the
District Attorney's Office violated the civil rights of the family
of George Reitz Jr. or that the office was negligent in its
handling of his property.

The mixed ruling, which yesterday left Reitz's family attorney,
John P. Kopesky, uncertain whether he would appeal, was welcomed by
District Attorney Alan Rubenstein, who said he was satisfied with
the jury's failure to find any civil-rights violations.

The property, known as Wingait Farms, Reitz's share of
the horses, and office equipment were taken by the
government because the items were acquired using drug
money or were used to facilitate drug deals.

Reitz appealed the forfeiture but lost the case and his
subsequent appeals. Rubenstein sold the farm for
$966,000 and the horses for about $80,000.

The ownership of the farm and the horses was not under
dispute in the federal case in Philadelphia.

More history on this case is available at:

http://www.phillynews.com/inquirer/98/Mar/03/pa_north/NFORF03.htm .