SWAT-Raided Communal Farm "Garden of Eden" Sues City of Arlington, Texas

The operators of a communal property dedicated to food self-sufficiency—that is, an organic farm—are striking back via federal court against a city that sent a SWAT team to raid their property in a fruitless search for marijuana back in 2013, a local NBC station near Arlington, Texas reports:

The lawsuit claims that police were heavy handed, never had probable cause to raid the facility and based the search largely on an anonymous tip and a flyover, which spotted what looked like marijuana plants.

The plants turned out to be tomatoes.

In a statement, assistant Arlington city attorney Melinda Barlow said the city is reviewing the lawsuit….The case was filed in federal court in Fort Worth.

While it's a shame that victories in cases like these punish taxpayers more than it does the officials who committed the crimes, the courts remain alas the only legitimate place for aggrieved citizens to receive recompense for injustice heaped on them by  cops.

J.D. Tuccille reported for Reason on the raid and its idiocy and criminality when it occurred back in 2013, including accounts of all the petty bullshit citations that tend to hit people trying to lead at-all-unusual lives on their land even before the SWAT army comes tearing through.

Comments

[Rich]

a flyover, which spotted what looked like marijuana plants. The plants turned out to be tomatoes.

This shit seems to happen a *lot*.

It's time to BAN TOMATOES!

[Fist of Etiquette]

I wonder if there is video of the cops trying to get high on the tomatoes after the raid.

[Pl?ya Manhattan.]

They kicked the tomato right in the stump.

[Lee G]

Gotta justify that air support budget

[Galactic Chipper Cdr Lytton]

Well, in their defense, tomatoes have launched attacks against humanity four times now, not including acid reflux suicide bombings. Clearly more dangerous that the maryjane.

[Scarecrow & WoodChipper Repair]

I bought a copy of that documentary Attack of the Killer Tomatoes just for the purpose of making sure I never forget. I eat the little sons a bitches every chance I get. Sometimes I dress them down.

[croaker]

It's time to ban cops who can't see straight.

Plenty of trash along the side of the road for these morins to pick up.

[Agile Cyborg]

The majority of taxpayers hold parades over the violence morality wreaks on those who infringe or deviate so fuck their wallets, Brian.

[Marty Feldman's Eyes]

john jacob jingleheimer schmidt, his wallet is my wallet, too

[Brochettaward]

If cops can't correctly identify the smell of marijuana, or the sight of it growing while flying above, THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO MANUFACTURE PROBABLE CAUSE WITH THEM.

I'm particularly angry today at the stupidity and blatant hypocrisy in our legal system. The cops have shown time and again that they don't have the training and expertise they claim they do and which they use to generate probable cause. Yet there is a cop sitting in a court room today lying his ass off justifying his detention of someone based on what he smelled or thought he saw.

If it helps law enforcement catch at least one drunk driver, or pot smoker...

Fuck all of it.

[simplybe]

Police don't stop crime. More crime has been commited by the police than ever stopped. Laws are created by the well to do for only two purposes. One is to generate revenue and the is other is to keep the non well to do in line. If you want to straighten this country out start praciting jury nullificatiion. Only about 10 laws are needed to stop about 90% of crime.

[Libertarian]

Only about 10 laws are needed to stop about 90% of crime.

Is it the 10 commandments? It's the 10 commandments, isn't it?

[Bones]

I'll take a stab.

1. It is illegal to murder, assault, or abuse human beings.
2. It is illegal to have non-consensual sexual contact with human beings.
3. It is illegal to steal or damage the property of others including animals owned by them.
4. It is illegal to buy, sell, or trade human beings against their will.
5. It is illegal to abandon the care of minor children for which you are responsible. At a minimum they must be provided for or left in the willing care of others.
6. It is illegal to abuse animals beyond societal standards of work and food production.
7. Contracts will be enforced by the state and they cannot supercede the other existing laws.
8. Politicians are not human beings.
9. Drive on the right side of the road.
10. Footballs must be inflated between 12.5 to 13.5 PSI for professional football games.

[DaveSs]

Have to say it.

Laws don't stop crimes.
They just list actions that will be punished (Unless you are politically connected)

[Libertarian]

Wow, I had to do a double take on that picture. I thought it was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

[MoriahJovan]

Ha ha ha! I did too.

[Hank Phillips]

True, the courts are the only legitimate place for aggrieved citizens to petition for redress. But not everybody understands that the cops are murdering taxpayers, shooting their dogs and kids and confiscating their cars, bank accounts and homes because Democratic and Republican politicians pay them to do those very things. The result? In Austin, Dallas and elsewhere this past year gunmen took it out on the hired help instead of their elected politicians. It would not surprise me if proper statistical analysis were to explicitly spell out that mixed-economy politicians are the ones stirring up hateful resentment and getting cops killed. (I only support libertarian candidates, but voters get what they choose).