Another Forfeiture Crime

Cops in Aurora, Illinois, steal $190,000 in cash (family life savings) from a pair of totally cooperative home remodeling brothers; the brothers are charged with no crime; a judge orders the cops to give the money back; the cops refuse, and probably don't even have it anymore, apparently having had it taken from them by the Department of Homeland Security. Story at Chicago Breaking News.

Radley Balko's great Reason magazine feature on forfeiture from our February 2010 issue.

Comments

[dave]

Isn't there any recourse - like a civil suit against the police department? If it's possible to bring the case, it sounds like it would be open and shut. The plaintiff would also be due any interest, court costs and other expenses.

Also, shouldn't there be some criminal charges brought against the thieves? This is grand larceny after all. A badge doesn't put you above the law or does it?

Why isn't a story like this major news? You would think that citizens would want to march on city hall or riot over crap like this.

[heller]

Recourse? Criminal charges? Outrage? Oh you silly, naive boy.

[dave]

No, it's not naivete. These are important questions. Does anybody here know the answers?

[Pablo]

I surely don't know all of them but I don't think they try to pull this shit very often with rich white people, who would be preceived as having the resources and wherewithal to fight back. Another problem is the mainstream media, which tends to worship law enforcement rather than maintain skepticism. They are afraid to ask tough questions or publicize stories like this because they don't want to be shut out by their usual sources of information.

The government steals from people and then defies a judge's order to return the stolen money--this should be front page news on every paper in the country. But it's not.

[me]

"A badge doesn't put you above the law or does it?" This is precisely where you are mistaken. This is precisely what a badge does in Amerika, by and large.

[robc]

Has the judge thrown the chief of PD in jail for contempt yet?

[Old 80]

Smirnoff: "In Soviet Union Po-Po robs you!"

Uncle Sam: "This is America, pal!"

Smirnoff: "I am having harder time seeing difference these days."

Uncle Sam: "...fuck me to tears..."

[Ted]

I am confused by this story.

Everything about this story just makes no sense to me. The government corruption stories are getting so bad I can't even follow the underlying logical sequence of events anymore ...

[Joshua Corning]

See the orange words "Story at Chicago Breaking News"

Click on those words.

[Episiarch]

So a judge orders the money returned, and the city just...refuses. Chalk another one up for the "rule of law".

[bigbigslacker]

I think it's worse than that. The city refused, thought about it some more and realized they just couldn't keep it. Then someone who belongs in prison got the bright idea to call the feds and tell them they had a stack of money up for grabs.

(posting from Aurora IL right now...)

[jasno]

And don't forget camp zoe!

Those Rave laws are so 90's... I guess Obama really is looking to the Clinton administration for leadership.

[NeonCat]

You may have forgotten, the driving force behind those laws was a Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del.

[prolefeed]

He and his passenger were questioned, and Jesus Martinez consented to have his vehicle searched.

Aaaah, to be so young and innocent again as to think that nothing bad would come from consenting to let cops search without a warrant ...

Good times, good times.

[Dello]

Cops don't need a warrent to search you car, just a drug sniffing dog. The moment the dog smells drugs, all of your possesions are drug contriband.

[Joe R.]

This is why I will never buy Milk-Bone. Too risky.

[Rodney King Rioters]

I don't think the cops in Aurora have any idea how dangerous it is when the people become convinced that the cops are there to rob and abuse them.

[the right does it too]

They will...oh yes, they will.....

[me]

Except, the RK rioters took their wrath out on other,completely innocent citizens. It is, apparently, dangerous when the people become convince the cops are there to rob and abuse them. Unfortunately, it is dangerous to everyone except the cops and those in authority.

[Steve]

Sad...but true.

[John C. Randolph]

The victims are entitled to get their money back from the perps who robbed them. This is not changed by the fact that the perps may have turned the money over to a different gang of robbers.

-jcr

[Surly Chef]

Not enough sleep and then an epic ball kick. Good start to the day.

[?]

Judge Thomas Mueller, who has taken over the case, set Jan. 5 for a hearing.

[Trespassers W]

Brian, I don't remember giving you permission to kick me in the balls. That's Radley's privilege alone.

[P Brooks]

A badge doesn't put you above the law

Friday Funny.

[P Brooks]

NOW do you see why civilians in Chicago simply cannot be allowed to possess weapons?!

[P Brooks]

The FBI will be all over this; those disaffected foreigners are ripe for a push into jihadism.

[Mohammed]

I'd like to see them try that shit with me!

[robc]

Fuck you Balk....oh, Doherty?!?

[hmm]

This is that missing multiplier effect.

[J sub D]

Aurora police say they transferred the money that same night to the drug task force, which reported handing the money over the following day to the Department of Homeland Security.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?
No police state here. Move along.

[J sub D]

Aurora police say they transferred the money that same night to the drug task force, which reported handing the money over the following day to the Department of Homeland Security.

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?
No police state here. Rule of law and all that. Move along and don't you dare ask any questions.

[Old Mexican]

I thought they didn't deserve to keep their money - Tony told me so...

[pmains]

The lefty Reason commenters are more likely to bitch about inheritance. You see, money that is a gift isn't earned. Therefore it should be taxed at 100%.

I wonder if they feel that way about Christmas presents?

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

Damn it all, don't give them any ideas! Those fuckers would steal the pennies from a dead man's eyes because they figure there's no legitimate reason for anybody to have such a huge sum of money.

[wylie]

It's pretty greedy taking money with you to the afterlife.

Also, I like pmains idea of taxing xmas presents. It'll teach kids how to pay their taxes, and result in billions of recovered revenue. Win/Win

[Lefty logic]

You see, money that is a gift isn't earned. Therefore it should be taxed at 100%.

We only believe that if the money is inherited after a death. If the money is inherited while you are alive living off a trust fund, then it shouldn't be taxed.

[Jeffersonian]

It's getting to the point that you have to wonder if being robbed by criminals is any worse than being protected by the police.

[Steve]

The criminals may have a heart and leave something.

[Tim]

Sean Connery as fictional Chicago cop in The Untouchables:

"You just fulfilled the first rule of law enforcement: Make sure when your shift is over, you go home with $190,000 in cash."

http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/The_Untouchables

[Chicago Politics As Usual]

A Kane County judge ordered the money returned, but the city has refused.

Whadya gonna do about it, eh?

[TheOtherSomeGuy]

It's gotten so bad that the cops are robbing Jesus.

[wylie]

Fuckin hippy punk didn't have shit on him. The sandals i took are pretty comfy though.

[apeneck]

More of the same:

http://www.kdvr.com/news/kdvr-.....4794.story

[JoshINHB]

Robin McAnally

Really?

[Karen O'Rally]

Yes, really.

[Enjoy Every Sandwich]

Cops in Aurora, Illinois, steal $190,000 in cash (family life savings) from a pair of totally cooperative home remodeling brothers

And yet if they encounter someone who isn't "totally cooperative" they'll have the nerve to act surprised.

[R C Dean]

If a Little Person was to simply refuse a court order, they would be promptly jailed by the judge for contempt of court.

And what does this mean:

probably don't even have it anymore,

I'll be the City of Aurora damn sure has $190K somewhere. If DHS took this forfeiture from them, then they can go after DHS after they pay back the victims.

[Old Mexican]

A Kane County judge ordered the money returned, but the city has refused.

Thus endeth Rule of Law in the USA.

[rhea]

Crime rates are always high during the Holidays. Better watch out, there are different schemes that run in the market?
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[bigbigslacker]

I don't think DHS was cruising the neighborhood and just decided to take this money from the city of Aurora. Somebody in the city was ~"sure as shit this truckload of beaners were guilty and didn't want to return the money just because some idiot judge can't add 2 and 2"

I have no problem asserting that as fact given the police have no problem asserting as fact all kinds of stuff they dream up while spending eight mostly boring hours sitting behind the steering wheel.