Cornhuskers Cancel Civil Forfeiture, Now Require Criminal Conviction
Why is my new BFF, Colin Bonini, the loudest voice in Delaware on this issue?
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts signed a bill on Tuesday that eliminates civil forfeiture, which allows law enforcement to seize and keep property without filing charges or securing criminal convictions. The bill, LB 1106, passed the unicameral legislature last week by a vote of 38 to 8.
Civil forfeiture has ensnared a wide swath of victims in Nebraska. A Peruvian pastor once had $14,000 seized during a traffic stop. Only after the local chapter of the ACLU intervened was he able to recover his cash. Last year, a federal appellate court upheld forfeiting more than $63,000 in savings from a decorated Air Force veteran, even though he was never charged with a crime.
The newly signed law provides sweeping reforms. First and foremost, Nebraska now requires a criminal conviction to forfeit property.
F-ing parasitic law enforcement.
Civil forfeiture is legalized robbery. Your never charged, but your property or cash is, a bizarre legal concept that was supposed to be used only against drug lords to seize yachts and mansions. It quickly became a stick to beat the common man and steal his money. Very few people ever got their money back, let along their house or property. Police department have the nerve to defend the practice on the basis that they need the money in their budgets. Sorry, I much prefer justice.
In the history of bad ideas, formally incentivizing police to cut corners has to be up there on the list.
Also – How is it that a third string Republican is the only candidate talking about this?
Because the Democrats are all cops or cop lovers?
Please clarify your comment, AQC.
In DE, lots of cops are Democrats. Pistol Pete Schwartzkopf is a nominal Dem. So is Tom Gordon. Our GA is overrun with “retired” cops who collect a state pension and a state rep/senator’s salary. These “retired” cops do the bidding of the FOP at the expense of the citizenry.
I think that’s what AQC was saying (but in fewer words)
Another good aspect of the Nebraska legislation is that it prohibits law enforcement from moving their forfeitures to the federal program except under certain circumstances. It is deplorable that the states and federal government have perverted justice this badly for so long.
Let’s hope this catches fire for a lot of states.
Finally the Tea Party has found some actual tyranny to go after.
LeBay, you either take yourself too seriously, or me too literally.