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Newsbrief:
Can
We
Make
That
a
Line
Item?
Alabama
County
Gets
Blatant
on
Asset
Forfeiture
as
Revenue
Enhancer
8/23/02
When the going gets tough,
the smart turn fed. At least, that's what the Barbour County, Alabama,
county commission is doing as part of its effort to avoid going broke.
Faced with severe cash-flow problems, the county commission on August 12
voted to allow a Barbour County deputy sheriff to join the DEA while still
an employee of the Barbour County Sheriff.
The commission acted after
Sheriff Marshall Williams Jr. told officials that the DEA affiliation will
allow the deputy to follow Barbour County drug cases outside the county
or the state. More importantly, said Williams, the DEA affiliation
"will also expedite prosecution of drug offenders and allow property connected
to the arrests to be seized immediately," the Eufala Tribune reported.
Under Alabama asset forfeiture
law, assets can be seized but proceeds must be placed in a county or state
general fund, from which law enforcement can withdraw the money.
Also, local law enforcement officials are restricted to assets seized within
their counties.
According to Sheriff Williams,
the DEA-affiliated deputy will allow the county to seize goods or property
connected to drug arrests even if the arrest occurs outside the county.
Barbour County will receive about 70% of any money or property seized,
Williams explained. The county has seized about $40,000 in cash and
property this year, Williams added. Why raise taxes when you can
resort to highway robbery instead?
-- END --
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Issue #251, 8/23/02
Ding, Dong, the Witch is Dead: Bob Barr Defeated in Georgia Primary | Canadian Government Backs Away from Medical Marijuana, But Advocates See No Big Defeat | NJ Weedman Jailed for Exercising Free Speech Rights -- Advocating Marijuana Legalization Violates Parole Conditions, Says State | Seattle Hempfest Draws 150,000 for Smoking, Shopping and Rabble Rousing | Newsbrief: State Dept. Official Forced to Eat Crow on FARC-Al Qaeda Link | Newsbrief: Nevada Marijuana Initiative Campaign Gains Ally | Newsbrief: French Government Moving Against Raves | Newsbrief: Baltimore's "Federal Day" is No Holiday for Some | Newsbrief: Afghan Opium Boom Continues, Second Crop Coming | Newsbrief: SAMHSA DAWN Study Out, Drug Czar Quick to Spin | Newsbrief: DEA Wants to Schedule 2C-T-7 | Newsbrief: Can We Make That a Line Item? Alabama County Gets Blatant on Asset Forfeiture as Revenue Enhancer | Newsbrief: Wichita Judge Scolds Drug Squad for Misconduct | Media Scan: New Scientist, JAMA, Forbes, ReconsiDer, MTF, BJS, CASA | Legislative Alerts: Rave Bill, Medical Marijuana, Higher Education Act Drug Provision | The Reformer's Calendar
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