Forfeiture Endangers American Rights - FEAR-List Bulletins

Index of FEAR-List Bulletins
2003
| Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. | Sept. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. |

last update April 4, 2004

December 2003

NY: "Stealing from the Stealers," December 31, 2003, Sierra Times summary and link to NY Times article about a former senior DEA official in NY, Kevin Tamez, who was expected to be indicted for stealing $150,000 from his office's forfeiture fund. (NY Times link requires registration.)

CALIFORNIA: Probation Granted to 3 Who Grew, Sold Pot as a Medicine, December 29, 2003, link to L.A. Times article. (This article is about medical marijuana defendants' sentencing, but it also has a forfeiture angle at the very end. This may be the very first time that the federal government tried to forfeit property belonging to a city.)

NEVADA: "You pays your nickel, you takes your chances," December 23, 2003, clipping from an opinion piece by Barry Hess about the futility of asset forfeiture for prostitution offenses.

TENNESSEE: "Two police supervisors indicted, Accused of allowing property room thefts," December 18, 2003, article by Shirley Downing, about Memphis TN police supervisors indicted for taking hush money to keep quiet about police Property Room thefts.

SUPREME COURT: "Justices side with cops in drug arrests," December 16, 2003, Salt Lake City Tribune article about the Supreme Court decision Maryland v. Pringle, 538 U.S. 921 (2003), holding the cops can arrest everyone in a car if contraband is found and none of the passengers accepts responsibility for it.

NEW YORK: "A Former Drug Agency Official Faces Charges of Stealing Funds," December 14, 2003

MONTANA: A question from an attorney regarding a forfeiture case against money taken from a dead man, December 13, 2003

Prosecutors want vehicles, cash and more from drug raid, December 12, 2003

MISSISSIPPI: "Mid-Delta lawmen split on sharing seizure bounty," December 12, 2003

MISSOURI: "Prosecutor Seeks Forfeiture Of Farm, Cars, Cash In Drug Case," December 12, 2003

SOUTH CAROLINA: Two cops killed in shootout over state land theft, December 10, 2003

FEAR-Talk discussion of "sneak and peak" searches, December 8, 2003

FEAR-Talk discussion: Is forfeiture a good thing? Please take the poll, December 8, 2003

FEAR-Talk discussion of "corruption of blood", December 8, 2003

Reining in Forfeiture: Common Sense Reform in the War on Drugs by Kyla Dunn, December 8, 2003, some excerpts and a link to the transcript for an "oldie-but-goodie" PBS Frontline story

FEAR-Talk ongoing discussion: Is forfeiture a good thing? Please take the poll, December 7, 2003

FEAR-Talk ongoing discussion: Is forfeiture a good thing? Please take the poll, December 7, 2003 (Note: if the link to Stefan Casella's paper is truncated, try cutting and pasting this URL into your browser: http://www.fed-soc.org/Publications/practicegroupnewsletters/criminallaw/cl010201.htm\

CONGRESS: Proposed Victory Act is on line, December 7, 2003

MICHIGAN: "Marlinga addresses '20 second rule' in memo to officers," December 6, 2003, with link to news article

FEAR-Talk ongoing discussion: Is forfeiture a good thing? Please take the poll, December 6, 2003

FEAR-Talk ongoing discussion: Is forfeiture a good thing? Please take the poll, December 5, 2003 (beginning of discussion)

Is there a Canadian forfeiture reform activist group?, December 5, 2003

NEVADA: Prostitution and seizure, December 5, 2003

FEAR-Talk: Is there a Canadian forfeiture activist group?, December 5, 2003

UTAH: "Law Enforcement Wants Seizure Revenue Back", December 5, 2003

FLORIDA: "$500,000 Discovered in Police Filing Cabinet", December 5, 2003 clipping from news article now gone from Jacksonville CBS channel 47 t.v. website

CALIFORNIA: El Cajon law now allows vehicle seizure for prostitution, drug offenses, December 4, 2003

FEAR-Talk: Is there a Canadian forfeiture activist group?, December 4, 2003

MISSISSIPPI (or is it GEORGIA?): "Rankin County officials seize records of police charity", December 3, 2003

CANADA: Proposed law allows police to seize the assets of any (alleged) member of a criminal organization, whether convicted or not, December 3, 2003

CANADA: Proposed law allows police to seize the assets of any (alleged) member of a criminal organization, whether convicted or not, (different article) December 3, 2003

CANADA: Is there a forfeiture activist group in Canada?, December 3, 2003

November 2003

HealthSouth ex-CEO seeks to unfreeze assets, November 27, 2003 link to article

Senator Feinstein and property rights, November 26, 2003 link to article

NY: Manhattan: Police seize money and steriods, November 26, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: Breeder wants her animals returned, November 25, 2003

NY: Nassau's Drunk Driving Seizure Law Too Broad, November 24, 2003

TEXAS: Traffic stop nets a cool $5.3 million, November 23, 2003

SCOTLAND: Courts seize £1.5m from criminals, November 23, 2003

WISCONSIN: Rush in trouble with "Money Laundering" (actually 'structuring')?, November 22, 2003

TEXAS: Inspectors seize 756 pounds of bologna, November 22, 2003

TEXAS: Spring (TX) man raided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, November 20, 2003

MISSOURI: State of Missouri ex rel. Missouri State Highway Patrol, November 20, 2003

Justice Department guidelines on "Equitable Sharing" (a/k/a/ "Federal Adoption"), November 20, 2003, link to DOJ website

MAINE: SWAT team seizes house and evicts Maine woman for tax debt, Alabama citizens' militia threatens to come up there and help her defend her property, November 20, 2003

MICHIGAN: Police save by using cash from forfeitures, November 19, 2003

FLORIDA: Judge rules authorities wrong to seize truck, November 18, 2003, link to article

PENNSYLVANIA: Helene Shue keeps her home after all, November 14, 2003

OKLAHOMA: Prosecutors want vehicles, cash and more, November 14, 2003

TENNESSEE: Guns, cash and vehicles missing from the inventory of seized evidence, November 14, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: Gov't sells 89-year-old's home for tax debt, November 11, 2003

"We're From the Government and We're Here to Help", November 10, 2003

OKLAHOMA: Who says crime doesn't pay?It does in Texas County in the Oklahoma Panhandle, November 10, 2003

TEXAS: Dallas cops will let you go if you if you won't fight their seizure of your goods, November 10, 2003

CANADA: "Crime crackdown - Asian gangs dealt heavy blow", November 10, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: "County sells 89-year-old woman's farm over $572 tax bill", November 8, 2003

NEW YORK: "Ashtrays ? the New Contraband," November 8, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: "Brilla didn't get his seized property back from Pettit; he has been killed", November 5, 2003

ALABAMA: "Richard Scrushy Charged: Government Seeks More Than $278 Million in Forfeiture!," November 4, 2003

"A Citizen's Guide To Interacting With The Police", November 3, 2003

FLORIDA: "Hungarian Holocaust Survivors Claim U.S. Auctioned WWII Jewish Heirlooms To Fill Budget Gaps, Hide Military Looting," November 3, 2003

Russian government seizes control of oil giant Yukos, November 1, 2003

US official criticises Russians for seizing assets, November 1, 2003

Comment re: US official criticises Russians for seizing assets, November 1, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: "High court: Washington County, Penn., District Attorney Pettit has to pay," November 1, 2003

WASHINGTON D.C.: "Federal Agencies Failure to Comply with Executive Order Has Cost Taxpayers over $1 Billion," November 1, 2003

MISSOURI: "Police have Ingenious way of Disposing Confiscated beer," November 1, 2003

October 2003

"CDT analyzes DOJ's Patriot Act defense website," October 30, 2003

INDIANA: "No crime commited, punishment remains," October 29, 2003

ILLINOIS: "Sheriff's deputy targeted drug dealers for thefts," October 28, 2003

NEW MEXICO: "Navajo Nation judge holds tribal government in contempt," October 27, 2003

WASHINGTON: "SAF Says Anti-Gun Missouri Police Chief Should Shelve Confiscation Plan," October 27, 2003

Tell Congress Its Time to Fix the PATRIOT Act, October 24, 2003

BBC News: It cost more to get rid of government loot than it is worth!, October 23, 2003

WASHINGTON D.C.: "In the Name of the Patriot Act: That's Ours!" October 19, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: Police seize gambling items, money & motorcycles, October 18, 2003

ARIZONA: "Task Force Seizes House In Hot Springs" October 18, 2003

VIRGINIA: Gang task force urges tougher laws, October 17, 2003

NEW YORK: "Candidate Vetere wants property seized from misdemeanor drug offenders," October 16, 2003

MASSACHUSETTS: "Feds plan to seize suspected drug house," October 14, 2003

NEW YORK: "New York Supreme Court to decide on car seizure policy," October 14, 2003

CANADA: "Antiterrorism Law Used to Seize Cash From Fraud Ring," October 11, 2003

VIRGINIA: Patriot Act Arrives In the Land Of Jefferson!, October 8, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: "High court: Washington County, Penn., District Attorney Pettit has to pay," October 8, 2003

NEW JERSEY: "Dems hit Marchand over audit of forfeiture funds," October 7, 2003

FLORIDA: "Sarasota Cashes In On Forfeitures By Luring Drug Dealers To Area," October 7, 2003

ARIZONA: "Judges rule in favor of Mesa brake shop," October 7, 2003

HealthSouth Scandal Doesn't Slow Former Chief, October 6, 2003

NEW YORK: "City Does Good Samaritan Dirt," October 6, 2003

TENNESSEE: "Editorial 10/05: Clean up police property room mess," October 6, 2003

CALIFORNIA: Raich v. Ashcroft Hearing Oct. 7 & New Website, October 6, 2003

TENNESSEE: "FBI seizes man's home" [Memphis Property Confiscation Scandal], October 5, 2003

TENNESSEE: "16 charged in thefts of drugs, guns, money seized from crime suspects," October 3, 2003

TENNESSEE: "Memphis Police Department Theft [of Confiscated Property] Property Grows," October 3, 2003

NEVADA: Re: Six arrested in prostitution sting - Vehicles seized, October 1, 2003

MICHIGAN: "Six arrested in prostitution sting - Vehicles seized," October 1, 2003

September 2003

TENNESSEE: Memphis Police somehow lose $thousands of confiscated property, September 30, 2003

FLORIDA: "Local law enforcement cashes in on forfeitures", September 30, 2003

Breaking News: Urgent Action Needed! (re: re-funding of Drug Czar's office), September 30, 2003

60 Minutes features IJ's efforts against eminent domain abuse, September 27, 2003

"HealthSouth Scandal Doesn't Slow Former Chief," September 27, 2003

"Government sells stolen property" by Ray Thomas, September 26, 2003

The new Forfeiture Endangers American Rights Foundation Journal can now be ordered, September 24, 2003

KY: "Kentucky to sell off confiscated airport items on eBay," September 23, 2003

KY: "Kentucky to sell off confiscated airport items on eBay" Part II, September 23, 2003

The new Forfeiture Endangers American Rights Foundation Journal can now be ordered, September 23, 2003

RHODE ISLAND: "In year of crashes, new cruisers are needed," September 23, 2003

New Website on Forfeiture in the UK, September 18, 2003

SOUTH AFRICA: "Forfeiture unit swoops on 'mine syndicate,'" September 18, 2003

ILLINOIS: "Feds raid suburban drug repackager," September 16, 2003

NEW YORK: "No-knock cops sued for $21 million," September 11, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: "Cops Accused Of Stealing Confiscated Drug Money," September 11, 2003

CONNECTICUT: "Drug customers could lose their wheels," September 5, 2003

August 2003

MASSACHUSETTS: Government finds new ways to grab assets of the deceased, August 27, 2003

WISCONSIN: "Seizure of house protested - Lawyer says government was too harsh on couple," August 22, 2003

CONNECTICUT: Pre-Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act burdens of proof do not violate due process, August 19, 2003

Draft text of VICTORY Act, August 17, 2003

FLORIDA: "Police are addicted to lure of easy money," August 17, 2003, link to article

FLORIDA: "Tampa Police Enjoying Seized Cars," August 9, 2003

PENNSYLVANIA: "Prosecutors want assets of accused gamblers," August 2, 2003

OHIO: "Feds want home where pot found," August 1, 2003

July 2003

UTAH: ACT NOW! Confiscation Zealot Appointed to Bench!, July 29, 2003

NEW ZEALAND: "NZ authorities begin "chasing CASH" on the hwys & the streets," July 28, 2003

OREGON: "Good Cop, Bad Cop, No Cop," July 28, 2003

OHIO: Earl Cavin, 82 years old, loses life savings to "Compassionate Conservative Cops," July 24, 2003

FLORIDA: Please help: Florida victim of police grabbing of private property, July 24, 2003

SCOTLAND: Travellers get back £59,000 grabbed by Customs'Men, July 24, 2003

CANADA: Bylaw change allows seizure of skateboards, July 21, 2003

New book: Asset Forfeiture: A Law Enforcement Perspective, July 11, 2003

UTAH: Forfeiture Lobby Propaganda Piece, July 20, 2003

NEW JERSEY: NJ Forfeiture reform bill, July 11, 2003

CANADA: Ottawa to seize grow-op houses", July 11, 2003

NEW YORK: Deputy New York police commissioner arrested in theft from nonprofit, July 11, 2003

UTAH: Editorial: "Following The Money", July 9, 2003

UTAH: "Law Makes Forfeitures A Hot Potato", July 4, 2003

FLORIDA: "Rehearing Rejected on Groundless Cash Seizure," July 3, 2003

June 2003

"Another knock on your door", June 23, 2003

NEW YORK: "Vehicle Forfeiture Laws Challenged," June 9, 2003

TEXAS: "Drug dealer ordered to return lottery winnings," June 8, 2003

May 2003

HAWAII: "New Attack On 'Ice Houses' Is Shameful, Won't Work," May 26, 2003

CALIFORNIA: "Police Spend Drug Cash," May 12, 2003

NEW YORK: "Richard Scrushy, Still Uncharged, Is Unfrozen," May 10, 2003

GEORGIA: "Editorial: Forfeiting Reform," May 6, 2003

HAWAII: "HI: Federal Forfeiture Funds On Way To Kaua'i," May 4, 2003

April 2003

GEORGIA: "Lawmakers Wonder if State is Getting its Share of Seized," April 26, 2003

"Paypal Meets the Patriot Act," April 15, 2003

NEW YORK: NYPD goes online to hock recovered stolen or lost merchandise (and confiscated!), April 14, 2003

MISSISSIPPI: "$97,500 seized in traffic arrest - on I-20," April 10, 2003

"U.S., Britain Sign Anti-Terror Treaties," April 2, 2003

March 2003

Supreme Court to Review Police Arrest Powers, March 29, 2003, with link to article

GEORGIA: "GA: Where Has All The Drug Money Gone?," March 27, 2003

GEORGIA: "Editorial: 'Shadow' Drug Money," March 27, 2003

ENGLAND: Law targets criminal earnings, March 26, 2003

NEW MEXICO: Pet Hoarding Legislation, March 21, 2003

TEXAS: "Officer Shows Uncertainty in Disputed Drug Cases," March 21, 2003

"Executive Order: Confiscating and Vesting Certain Iraqi Property", March 21, 2003

OHIO: "Asset forfeiture improved by Web sales," March 7, 2003

CALIFORNIA: "NYT Editorial: Fairness Strikes Out," March 7, 2003

"The Drug War's Cooked Books" by Paul Armentano, March 5, 2003

UNITED KINGDOM: Police Given Power To Seize Criminal Assets, March 4, 2003

NORTH CAROLINA: "A drug terrorist convicted!," March 3, 2003

February 2003

TEXAS: "Feds move to seize Bandera mansion," February 28, 2003

LTE: Seizure does not serve justice, February 28, 2003

Federal police adopt new tactic: Seizing domain names, February 27, 2003

TENNESSEE: Deputy Worley 'screws up' - has sex with his trusted informant, February 27, 2003

UTAH: Citizens oppose bill to "reform" Initiative B, February 24, 2003

CALIFORNIA: Los Angeles prostitute "trollers" lose their vehicles, February 21, 2003

TENNESSEE: One of Tennessee's finest, Drug Enforcement Officer Worley, is in trouble again, February 21, 2003

UTAH: Forfeiture Press Conference, February 20, 2003

UTAH: "Meeting On Forfeiture Law Ignites Sparks," February 20, 2003

UTAH: "Proposed Change To Forfeiture Law Draws Debate," February 20, 2003

UTAH: "UT: Utah Attorney General Proposes Rewrite Of Forfeiture Law," February 19, 2003

3rd Circuit: U.S. v. Thomas, February 17, 2003

UTAH: "Asset-forfeiture plan 'is dead,'" February 17, 2003

UTAH: Emergency Town Meeting on Property Forfeiture!, February 13, 2003

UTAH: Utah bill, SB 31 (Forfeiture) on Talk Radio, February 11, 2003

DOJ quietly drafts USA Patriot II, includes anti-crypto section, February 8, 2003

"Expansion of Patriot Act Criticized," February 8, 2003

HAWAII: Important forfeiture bills on Friday, February 7, 2003

WASHINGTON D.C.: Crack House Statute - this is VERY dangerous legislation, February 6, 2003

UTAH: Property Forfeiture Abuse Bill, February 6, 2003

UTAH: Police Auctions 101 - as Exposed by Utah's Office of the State Auditor, February 6, 2003

Forfeiture Revenues drop for DOJ, February 4, 2003

OREGON: Law Enforcement lobby asks court to overturn forfeiture reform initiative, February 4, 2003

January 2003

NEW YORK: " Ithaca (NY) Officials to Denounce PATRIOT Act," January 30, 2003

UTAH: State Auditor Letter Exposes Subversion of Forfeiture Reform, January 29, 2003

UTAH: Forfeiture Update and Audit, January 29, 2003

UTAH: "State Not Getting Forfeiture Funds," January 26, 2003

NEW JERSEY: State files request for stay in N.J. v. 1990 Ford Thunderbird, January 15, 2003

MASSACHUSETTS: "Forfeiture Records Often Difficult, Costly To Obtain," (rerun of old article) January 15, 2003

CALIFORNIA: "Suit calls auto seizures unfair," January 13, 2003

NORTH DAKOTA: FARM FRAUD: Huber guilty - must forfeit $5.9 million, January 10, 2003

NEW YORK: "Challenges Are Invited to DWI Forfeiture," January 8, 2003

Customs Seized Property Goes Live!, January 3, 2003

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