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Racist Texas Shakedown
Oliver Willis —
More southern awesome.
You can drive into this dusty fleck of a town near the Texas-Louisiana border if you’re African-American, but you might not be able to drive out of it—at least not with your car, your cash, your jewelry or other valuables.
That’s because the police here allegedly have found a way to strip motorists, many of them black, of their property without ever charging them with a crime. Instead they offer out-of-towners a grim choice: voluntarily sign over your belongings to the town, or face felony charges of money ...
Motorists Sue Texas Cops, Asserting Money, Property Illegally Seized
ACSBlog: The Blog of the American Constitution Society —
... A group of travelers has lodged a federal lawsuit against police in Tenaha, Texas arguing that they were improperly detained and bilked of property and money. The Chicago Tribune reported that Tenaha police “allegedly have found a way to strip motorists, many of them black, of their property without ever charging them with a crime.” ...
Asset Seizure and Legitimacy Forfeiture
Newshoggers.com —
... The Chicago Tribune has reported on a disturbing story from Texas on how a small town is massively abusing forfeiture laws in ways that violate multiple Constitutional principles. Let's get the highlights.... ...
March 15 roundup
Overlawyered —
... Law bloggers were on this weeks ago, now Tenaha, Tex. cops’ use of forfeiture against motorists is developing into national story [Chicago Tribune, earlier ...
US Political News Blog — ... The War on Some Drugs in Texas is a national disgrace. More recently, there is the case of blacks being singled out and having their money and property seized in Tenaha, Texas. It sure as fuck didn't help having George Chucklehead Bush as governor for eight years. ...
DA Accused of Stealing Money From Motorists Wants To Defend Herself
With Money She's Accused of Stealing From Motorists
Hit & Run —
... The little town of Tenaha, Texas
has been all over the news in the last year after several
defense attorneys revealed the town's police had been pulling
over motorists along a main highway, seizing their property
(cars, cash, jewelry, etc.), then presenting them with an
unsavory bargain: Sign a waiver forfeiting all of their property
over to the police, or be arrested for drug crimes where, even if
innocent, they'd face a night or more in jail and attorney and
court fees that would usually amount to more than what the
property was worth. ...
Texas DA Accused of Stealing From Motorists Wants to Defend Herself With Money She’s Accused of Stealing From Motorists
The Agitator —
... The little town of Tenaha, Texas has been all over the news in the last year after several defense attorneys revealed the town’s police had been pulling over motorists a main highway, seizing their property (cars, cash, jewelry, etc.), then presenting them with an unsavory bargain: Sign a waiver forfeiting all of their property over to the police, or be arrested for drug crimes where, even if innocent, they’d face a night or more in jail and attorney and court fees that would usually amount to more than what the property was worth. ...
