How Drug Warriors (Read: Taxpayers) Pay for Their Crimes…

…against children and other living things.

Remember the infamous 2003 Goose Creek PD screw-up, in which some of South Carolina's finest barged into Stratford High School, guns a-drawn, plasti-cuffed a bunch of kids, and turned up zippo illegal drugs (we're confident Coach Kleats and the rest of the P.E. staff were packing human-growth hormone, minoxidil, Viagra, what have you)?

Well, now the final curtain may be drawn on that Barney Fife-level fooferaw:

The controversial drug sweep in 2003 at Stratford High School also could be a costly one—to the tune of $1.6 million, according to a plan to settle a class-action lawsuit stemming from the raid.

Under the plan, students in the hallway during the sweep would split $1.2 million. Their lawyers would divide an additional $400,000.

And, needless to say, nobody–the school district and the cops and the other defendants–would have to admit they'd done anything wrong. Because, to parphrase Love Story, the drug war means never having to say you're sorry.

I look forward to following the tax bond campaigns that will be launched to pay for the fines.

Full account here.

Stoner Update/Erratum: Jacob Sullum blogged this yesterday man.