Innocent until we think you're guilty.

[idrankwhat 0]

This may be a repost, if so, point me towards the link. If not, maybe you legal minded types can give me your opinion. My opinion is.....well.....Mom told me not to use those words.

[url]http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/15310257.htm

[pop 0]

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/15310257.htm

7 ounce wonders, music and dogs that are not into beer

[warpedskydiver 0]

A good drug dog can detect narcotics on nearly any circulated paper money.

[idrankwhat 0]

Thanks for fixing my earlier link. Here's another one. I simply don't see how they can keep this guy's money. From what's been presented this is just wrong.
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/12/1296.asp

Quote

http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/15310257.htm

[Gravitymaster 0]

I have never understood why people allow the police to search their cars without a warrant. Also, who would fly to Chicago with that much cash on them with the intention of purchasing a truck, only to find out the truck had been sold and then rent a car with someone elses credit card to drive back to San Diego? Why not just buy another airline ticket? Seems pretty suspicious, but I'm not sure I agree there was enough evidence to link the money to drugs. I think the IRS might have their own questions to ask him, though.

[wmw999 2,446]

I agree. He sounds guilty as sin. However, that's not supposed to be enough. Let the IRS go after him -- they'll make him a lot more miserable while they take his money, too

Wendy W.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[Gravitymaster 0]

Quote

I agree. He sounds guilty as sin. However, that's not supposed to be enough. Let the IRS go after him -- they'll make him a lot more miserable while they take his money, too

Wendy W.

Heck, the IRS will not only take the $124,000. they will fine him add interest to it too, then hound him with tax audits every year until he's dead.

[kbordson 8]

I have to agree with the fact that the only crime that he committed was speeding.... not worth $125k in fines. But I am curious as to the other parts of the story that I'm sure is yet out there.

Is he a US citizen? Why a refridg. truck? Illegal people trafficing? Has he already killed someone/groups by not having a refridg. truck?

I'm sure that there's a WHOLE lot more to this tale.

But until he's actually caught doing something illegal, he should get his money back - with his name to the IRS for non reported income suspicions.

[idrankwhat 0]

Quote

I have to agree with the fact that the only crime that he committed was speeding.... not worth $125k in fines. But I am curious as to the other parts of the story that I'm sure is yet out there.

Is he a US citizen? Why a refridg. truck? Illegal people trafficing? Has he already killed someone/groups by not having a refridg. truck?

I'm sure that there's a WHOLE lot more to this tale.

But until he's actually caught doing something illegal, he should get his money back - with his name to the IRS for non reported income suspicions.

This is from the dissenting judge's opinion, posted in the second link I included.

Judge Donald Lay found the majority's reasoning faulty and issued a strong dissent.

"Notwithstanding the fact that claimants seemingly suspicious activities were reasoned away with plausible, and thus presumptively trustworthy, explanations which the government failed to contradict or rebut, I note that no drugs, drug paraphernalia, or drug records were recovered in connection with the seized money," Judge Lay wrote. "There is no evidence claimants were ever convicted of any drug-related crime, nor is there any indication the manner in which the currency was bundled was indicative of
drug use or distribution."

"Finally, the mere fact that the canine alerted officers to the presence of drug residue in a rental car, no doubt driven by dozens, perhaps scores, of patrons during the course of a given year, coupled with the fact that the alert came from the same location where the currency was discovered, does little to connect the money to a controlled substance offense," Judge Lay Concluded.