Gawker
reports:
A Nebraska stripper just won a lawsuit against police who confiscated over $1,000,000 in $10,000 bundles tied with hair ties after a routine traffic stop.
33-year-old Tara Mishra stripped for 15 years and managed to save $1,074,000. So she gave the cash to friends to open a New Jersey nightclub. But when those friends were pulled over in Nebraska, the cops suspected the money was tied to drugs and confiscated all the cash.
This week, a judge ruled the that since the police failed to find evidence of drug activity, and since a canine search revealed only trace amounts of illegal drugs on the money, the cash had to be returned.
“The government failed to show a substantial connection between drugs and the money,” U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon wrote. “The dog sniff is inconsequential…The court finds the Mishras’ story is credible…Ms. Mishra did have control over the money and directed the Dheris to deliver the money to New Jersey for the purchase of the business.
It's good this gal got her money back, but just how did police manage to take the money in the first place, given there was no evidence of wrong doing? And why did she have to take the police to court to have to get it back? What is happening to this country?
I've heard that virtually any large bill that's been in circulation has detectable traces of coke on it. Makes it easy for the bastards to claim a drug connection. I'm just surprised the judge was reasonable about this.
ReplyDeleteAt least it's a better outcome than the horror story of the family who lost $80 million worth of gold coins to our fatherly leaders in the government. After all the hand jobs and bjs that woman must have given in her time, she deserves more than to have her hard earned money stolen by the blue shirts. I'm glad she's investing it wisely in a nightclub where she will surely turn that million into two or three in a couple years.
ReplyDeletePolice don't need evidence of wrongdoing to seize cash--the mere presence of cash is taken as evidence of wrongdoing (so much for the Fourth and Fifth Amendments). See the Institute for Justice's report on civil asset forfeiture: http://www.ij.org/policing-for-profit-the-abuse-of-civil-asset-forfeiture-4
ReplyDeleteI think pretty much every state has laws regarding large sums of cash. Typically, if you are ever found with more that $10,000 in cash the police are allowed to confiscate in under the assumption that you either just sold a bunch of drugs, or were going to buy drugs. That's without any other actual evidence that you were doing anything wrong. In fact they can blatantly ignore evidence that it was legitimate like you have a receipt for selling a car and you were headed towards a bank. It is then your responsibility to sue the police department and prove that the money wasn't involved in the drug trade to get it back.
ReplyDelete"What is happening to this country?"
ReplyDeleteThe country you are asking about no longer exists...
I think it's reasonable to take note of such large sums of money. In this case, the IRS may want to see if she's been reporting that kind of income. But people shouldn't have to prove the money is clean to hold on to it or get it back -- in a free society the burden of proof should be on the government.
ReplyDelete