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Date:         Sat, 7 Nov 1998 12:48:37 -0800
Reply-To:     t bill <tbil@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         t bill <tbil@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: $$$ Seizure law, was: Open container (very weak VW content)
Comments: To: gmbulley@bulley-hewlett.com, vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Good post. I'll have to object tho to the characterization that people carry a gun because it makes them feel good. That's not why I or anyone I know carries a gun. It's more of a civic duty.

TBill 83.5 Westy

---Bulley-Hewlett & Associates <gmbulley@bulley-hewlett.com> wrote: > > Anyone carry over $1000 has been labled a drug dealer. Burden of proof is > on you to prove otherwise. > Welcome to the USA. > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > Bulley soapbox: > > Sixty Minutes has done two reports on the "Seizure Law" that Cowboy Ronnie > or his trusty side-kick, Sr. Bush put in place. Real eye-opener. This law > is another example of the shortsighted, reactionary, "pioneer spirit" > methods that team took to solving problems. In the words of the great > actor: "mistakes were made". > > If you don't think to hard about it, which apparently our lawmakers didn't, > the seizure law sounds fantastic. We all hate drugs, and want to do all we > can to stem the tide of drugs flowing into our youth. Seize their cars and > money and that'll hit them where they hurt. Head 'em off at the pass, and > round 'em up for a lynchin'. Further, our poor, underprivileged police will > receive the funds so they can do more good in our communities. YEAH! > > Careful, don't think too much more ore you'll figure out what's wrong with > this law. > > Our legal system has two major tenants that (disregarded under the seizure > law), that nagging "innocent until proven guilty" thing, and the burden of > proof residing with the accuser, not the accused. Under the law, you can > stand clear and innocent of any crime, and yet have to prove that the MONEY > is innocent. 60min gave the example of a landscaper who was on his way one > Spring to buy a huge quantity of shrubbery for the year. He brought a large > sum of cash, (basically all of his savings, $30 k) because the discount for > cash was tremendous. Cops stopped, seized the cash, sent him on his way. He > ended up spending almost $30k and an entire year to get the original $$$ > back. That's here in the States. > > The seizure law gives tremendous incentive to the seizing officer, in that > HIS department receives the funds or vehicle seized. As the previous poster > noted, you have to prove the MONEY was NOT to be used to buy drugs. Good > luck. It is almost impossible. Made even more impossible if the bills you > are carrying have recently come in contact with any drugs, and left some > sort of residue. For the cops, this is proof positive that you are a dope > head. > > Louisiana is supposedly the worst for this law, and Sixty minute ran a > story exclusively on the corruption in small county (parish?) departments > that routinely stop out of state travelers driving expensive cars, seize > the vehicle, and keep it. > > The law is based on probability and assumption. Odds are, if you are > carrying more than a $1,000, you may be about to buy or sell drugs. But, > (pulling a number out of thin air) I could imagine about 10% of the > travelling public carrying more than $1,000 at any given time, for > legitimate reasons, or for no particular reason at all. Some folks just > carry a lot of cash 'cuz it make us feel good, like others carry a gun, or > a lucky rabbit's foot. > > Thanks for letting me vent. I'm no dope-head, and I voted for Cowboy Ronnie > and his posse of cattle ropin' fanatics, so don't go flaming me about that. > I just think this law is unjust, and want it thrown out before someone > seizes my Westy. > > By the way, this seizure law was one of the reasons I removed the entire > interior from our 1976 loaf, and hosed it out top to bottom with a pressure > washer. I had no idea if the van had been used for moving drugs, and all it > would take for a seizure is a little wisp of coke or marijuana, and the van > could belong to some Cajun Sheriff who would use it to haul crawdads and > gumbo. :) > > gmb > > > ATTACHMENT part 2 application/octet-stream name=WINMAIL.DAT > > >

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