General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 9-0 SCOTUS ruling against asset forfeiture, this is a big deal [View all]happybird
(4,588 posts)exactly, can be seized after a guilty verdict. Items attained or bought with money earned through illegal activity? Sure. No problem.
But how do they determine what was purchased with legitimate income and what was purchased with the illicit funds? What about items purchased prior to the illegal activity? What about family heirlooms or property that belongs to family members? They don't even attempt to suss that out. They just take it all.
They can take *everything* regardless of the total value or when/how the items were acquired. And then you have to pay through the nose to mount an attempt to prove a negative. And you'll lose.
As that one Sheriff infamously said, "it's like pennies from Heaven." They do not give a fuck, as long as they keep getting "free" stuff and "toys."
There's way too much grey area. This must be fixed with clear laws and hard limits. The police should have to prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that any seized property was acquired or bought through illicit activities.