Texas police shake down drivers, lawsuit claims

Texas police shake down drivers, lawsuit claims

www.cnn.com

Roderick Daniels was traveling through East Texas in October 2007 when, he says, he was the victim of a highway robbery.

The Tennessee man says he was ordered to pull his car over and surrender his jewelry and $8,500 in cash that he had with him to buy a new car.

But Daniels couldn't go to the police to report the incident.

The men who stopped him were the police.

Daniels was stopped on U.S. Highway 59 outside Tenaha, near the Louisiana state line. Police said he was driving 37 mph in a 35 mph zone. They hauled him off to jail and threatened him with money-laundering charges -- bu

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is just disgusting. The abuse and corruption of alot of police forces is getting way beyond ridiculous.

One guy is pulled over and arrested for driving 37 in a 35. Essentially conned into giving up his personal property and dispite Texas state law, they have not returned his property.

A few report this department of threatening to take their children away if they do not turn over their property.

Such disgusting abuse of power I am seeing now a days. I long for the days when police understood they are civilians like you and I, and were also subject to law just like you and I.

I am just so angry and ashamed that this police department and activity is in my State of Texas. How dare these cops abuse their power in order to rip people off and essentially steal and commit acts of what one could argue to be as piracy.

They siezed over 3 million dollars worth of property in just two years and 150 cases. most of which (according to the article) were either black or hispanic. Not to mention the seizures of the property were improper and by law had to be returned...

I am just so disgugsted


The fear tactics used are Just disturbing. These are some HUGE allegations against this police force and now that it has made national attention, I can not wait to see where this goes. I only pray that the corrupt forces in that city get what is coming to them.

www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)



[edit on 5-5-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

yet another example of Ganster, Criminal police!


The problem with these incidents is that rather than being innocent until proven guilty, it works the opposite. They take your stuff, you're guilty until you prove your innocence.

The problem occurs when the amount of siezed items is fairly low, for instance less than $10,000 since the legal fees alone could eat up the value of what you are trying to recover - people rarely attempt to get their property back.

To further demonstrate the guilty until proven innocent, cases that involve forfeiture are titled "State of Texas Vs. $8,342" or "State of Texas vs. 2007 Cadillac Escalade"


One of the most insane forfeiture grabs occured in california during the 90's. Officers wanted to seize the millionaires land because he refused to sell it to the state to expand it into a park. They figured they would use forgeiture laws to simply get it for free... yah and well, it ended in his murder.

Source.

On October 2, 1992 Malibu California millionaire Donald Scott was shot to death inside his own home, during a raid by Los Angeles Sheriff's Department and agents from five federal law enforcement agencies. The Scotts were awakened by the sound of the police breaking down their door. Scott's wife, Frances, ran downstairs to find her house swarming with men with guns aimed at her. She screamed "don't shoot me, don't kill me." Donald Scott, recovering from recent cataract surgery, got his gun and ran to the defense of his wife. When he emerged at the top of the stairs, holding his gun over his head, the officers told him to lower the gun. As he did, they shot him to death. The warrant was for evidence of the cultivation of marijuana, but no illegal activity was discovered at the Scott ranch. The report of the Ventura County District Attorney, Michael Bradbury, concluded that the police lied to obtain the search warrant, that there had never been any marijuana cultivation on the property, and that the raid was motivated by a desire to forfeit the multi-million dollar ranch. Despite the DA's dramatic conclusions, no officer was ever indicted, or even lightly disciplined for the lies or the killing.

Officers after the raid, even took time to 'pose' with their kill.

[edit on 5-5-2009 by king9072]

You think this is something new?

Police in small towns have been doing things like this long before your grandparents were born.

Why is so shocking that they are still doing it?

edit to add-

Not all small town police do this. Don't want to sound as if I am throwing a blanket statement out there.

[edit on 5-5-2009 by jd140]

People say that there are a few bad cops that taint everyone. This is false. There are only a few HONEST cops. Most are corrupt in one way or another. I hope the ones in this story get what they deserve, but they will probably not be convicted of anything.

The thing is, if you don't cooperate with them, nothing is stopping them from shooting you and then making up a story. Happens quite often.

Originally posted by jd140
You think this is something new?

Police in small towns have been doing things like this long before your grandparents were born.

Why is so shocking that they are still doing it?

edit to add-

Not all small town police do this. Don't want to sound as if I am throwing a blanket statement out there.

[edit on 5-5-2009 by jd140]

No I do not think this is anything new at all, other wise I would have said that.

The issue is that no matter how long this abuse has been going on, IT SHOULD NOT BE GOING ON!

That is the issue. I only hope the national attention this story is recieving helps to uncover the everyday occurances of abuse by the police.

reply to post by gimme_some_truth


Here is some truth for you.

Whoever holds posistion of authority will abuse at one time or another. Some might be small situations and others will be big.

I keep hearing how cops are out of control. Besides jailing those who break the law, what else would you do to solve the problem?

What would any who reads this do to solve the problem?

You can throw them in jail and hire someone new. But you will still have this problem.

Should they be fired? Yes they should be and thrown in jail. We need to make room for the next wave.

He needs to contact the constable's office, the sheriff's department, the Texas Rangers, and the FBI.

All would be able to help him.

Or better yet, get a lawyer.

the police will put their bums to the wall and being police, will be excempt from responisibilty and liability.

Originally posted by jd140
reply to post by gimme_some_truth

Whoever holds posistion of authority will abuse at one time or another. Some might be small situations and others will be big.

So everybody in the entire world past, present or future who has a position of any authority what so ever will abuse that authority at one point or another? That seems a rather broad brush you are painting with.

For the record I know of several cops who have never abused their "power"

I keep hearing how cops are out of control. Besides jailing those who break the law, what else would you do to solve the problem?

I don't know, but we are doing now is clearly not working. Perhaps it is time to try something new huh? You know it is insane to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. Well, Perhaps we should try a sane approach to handling the abuse that some people in power hand out...

What would any who reads this do to solve the problem?

I can only speak for myself. I do not know what any one else is thinking. You will have to ask them, not me.

You can throw them in jail and hire someone new. But you will still have this problem.

As I said above. Clearly how we handle it now is not working. How about we stop trying the same thing expecting something different to happen. Let us try something sane! Is that not a novel idea? I think it is.

Should they be fired? Yes they should be and thrown in jail. We need to make room for the next wave.

Well let's try this. Clearly that has not worked. Think to yourself (and I will do the same...anyone who reads this should) what can we do to take care of this situation? Clearly firing, and jail time is not working...

There is always more than one way to skin a cat. perhaps we should try to figure out another way before we run out of cats to skin.... if you catch my meaning.

We can not just accept this as an inevitability. If we do that, then ther truly is no hope for our future. I do not know about you or anyone else but I refuse to accept this as an inevitibility.

So should we just sit here and give up or should we figure out what IS the way to go about this correctly? I truly believe there is something we can do. By myself I do not believe I am capable of figuring it out. It is far time we put our heads together and think before we completley lose our minds......

Now THAT is some truth for you.

[edit on 5-5-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

reply to post by gimme_some_truth


I am asking what differant approach you would take.

You keep saying we should do something sane.

Well what would that be.

And I was asking others when I said what would others who read this do. I just asked the question in a post I was replying to you in.

Every person in a posistion of authority abuses that power at one time or another. It could be as small as a manager taking off early or as big as a cop taking possesions illegaly.

Originally posted by jd140
reply to post by gimme_some_truth

I am asking what differant approach you would take.

You keep saying we should do something sane.

Well what would that be.

Well I already told you but I will repeat since you missed.

What I said was I do not have the answer and am incapable of coming up with the answer on my own. That is why I called for us all to put our heads together to figure out exactly what that sane thing would be.

That is what I am trying to say, I do not know that answer, and chances are most don't but I see no reason to give up. You know that old saying "two heads are better than one"? Well I feel that would be a great saying to keep in mind.

And I was asking others when I said what would others who read this do. I just asked the question in a post I was replying to you in.

I got you

Every person in a posistion of authority abuses that power at one time or another. It could be as small as a manager taking off early or as big as a cop taking possesions illegaly.

Not to be rude, but that is complete and utter bull. You are lumping everyone in the world into one general label. That is a big part of the problem. You (not you imparticular) have everyone pegged to behave a certain way even before they do it! That seems a bit unfair misleading to me...

I will agree that ALOT of people who have had a position of power have at one point in there life. But it is unwise and unfair to assume that everyone in the world would if they were in the position of power. ALOT would and that is why communism and what not ultimatley does not work.

However it just sems a bit of a jump to me to assume that everyone in the world ever alive now or in the future would abuse their power. I would think it is safer to assume they wouldnt. But this is really just becomming a matter of opinion and speculation between us now.

This thread is really not about how many people in the world would abuse power given the chance. It is about a small group of people who did infact abuse their powers and what a shame it is.

I think we have come to an impass here anyway, It seems that you believe that humans are essentially doomed to abuse pwoer no matter what. You seem to believe that is human nature.

I believe that it is a personal choice and that human nature does not dictate what it is they choose. I believe that even thoug alot of people do make the choice to abuse, that not everybody would.

Then again, perhaps I am hopelessly optimistic of a doomed human future.

So let me ask you this so we can steer this back on to track since I do not see us agreeing really.

As I said, I do not know what would be the sane thing to do, however what we are doing now clearly is not working.

So do you think it would be wise to start looking for a different solution for once? Clearly the one that we have gone to for generations upon generations has not worked.

I think it would be more wise than just standing by and letting it happen. But Mabye I am naive and it truly is a helpless hopeless situation.

So what do you think? IS there a way to ever stop this kind of abuse from taking place with out using the same tactics that have failed time and time again?

If so, how do you suggest we figure it out. Because, as I said multiple times now, I do not know all the answers, and anyone who says they do is lying. To me it sems like it would be wise to bring together everyone so perhaps we could slowly figure out the answer....

I don't know....I just refuse to give up hope. Perhaps that is naive of me, but I just am incapable of giving up hope. I refuse. So all that said, What do YOU think we should do, because by myself, I just do not know.... Not by myself anyway.



[edit on 5-5-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

reply to post by gimme_some_truth


Not really much else can be done about it.

They abuse the power, they get caught, they go to jail or get fired (depending on the offense and if they are found guilty) and the next wave comes through.

Short of executing them. Nothing else can be done.

I've always considered it a bad idea when traveling, to go through small towns.

Wouldn't want to end up in Valkenvania... lol.

Mistake post.

Sorry

[edit on 5-5-2009 by gimme_some_truth]

Originally posted by jd140
reply to post by gimme_some_truth

 

Not really much else can be done about it.

They abuse the power, they get caught, they go to jail or get fired (depending on the offense and if they are found guilty) and the next wave comes through.

Short of executing them. Nothing else can be done.

Well, all I can say at this point is that I hope you are wrong. I fear you are right, but I hope you are wrong...

I don't really know what else to say at this point except thanks for the great conversation friend.

I always enjoy listening to and considering other peoples point of view. Thanks for sharing yours.

I find it more compelling that everyone "caught" by these police so easily and readily signed over everything they had at the time.

Think about that for a few... they even admitted the situation sounded completely wrong, yet they did it anyway. Seems a trend these days in all types of platforms, esp. political ones.

As a military retiree and concerned libertarian, I deplore the obviously criminal actions of any police force who would violate the Constitution rights of US citizens. That said Obama has said little if anything about reigning in these rogue LE organizations. He has in fact proposed further degradation of the 2nd Amendment specifically in Texas and other border states to help fight the violent drug gangs in Mexico.

How about a gradual decriminalization of drugs and better treatment programs for addicts? We all know the growing Security/Military industrial complex won't ever allow this because they would lose billions of dollars in fat govt' contracts and worse the power they now abuse as their pleasure.

What gives with all the mainstream media bashing of Texas of late? Texas has lower unemployment, lower cost of living, lower violent crime rate than New York, California or Illinois with their draconian antigun laws. Seems to me that now that Bush and Co. are out of power, Texas bashing is all the rage with Left and Right coasters.

reply to post by crgintx


Lol why do retired military always say they are retired military when it doesn't have any bearing on the conversation?

You either retired 1SG or above in the enlisted ranks, Major or above in the officer ranks.

Its okay all of you do it.

on topic.

This happens all over the US. A month ago there was a thread about pretty much the same thing happening in NC I believe. Next month or sooner there will be a thread about this happening in another state. No one is picking on poor Texas.

As far as the border. The drug war has pretty much taken a back seat to the swine flu lately. Since it has originally started(the think) in Mexico. The states that border Mexico will be in the news.

That includes poor Texas.

Being from Oklahoma (Sooner fan) I think you guys are a bunch of cry babies anyways.

I paid some attention to what Obama and the Manchurian Candidate said during the election campaign last fall. Obama kept harping on returning the nation to the 'rule of law'. If you read the whole article linked at the OP you would have noticed that most of the victims of this baseless and un-Constitutional seizure of property without due process where poor, Black or Hispanic. You think that a mixed race liberal Democrat lawyer's attention might be caught by such a flagrant violation of the 4th Amendment. He was a Senator for almost 4 years who had a habit of abstaining from voting on substantive legislation put before him. He's now the President of the United States of America and now sworn(twice) to defend the Constitution. This is his primary duty as head of the executive branch. This is ahead of the economy, foreign relations or anything else.

It know it's too idealistic for anyone who hasn't served in the military to understand that after 20 years and 15 days of pulling my part of the load, that I expect anyone who swears the same basic oath of enlistment and is also subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice to not attack the 2nd Amendment rights of individuals in a particular region of the country to appease a corrupt foreign gov't(Mexico). I expect him to forego all previous political allegiances when feel good, trash legislation and show some courage by pulling out the VETO stamp and using it. I expect to the President to aggressively pursue the repeal of any laws that were previously passed that labels law abiding citizens 'potential domestic terrorists' simply for expressing an opposing opinion to the current political regime.

IMHO the corporate controlled media is filled with juvenile, vidictive attention-junkie whores that have zero objectivity . They should call themselves entertainers and propagandists not reporters or journalist.

And finally Texas has produced 8 NCAA Division 1 Football National Championship teams with 4 different teams( Texas, Texas A&M, TCU, SMU) to Oklahoma's mere 7. Sorry OK State you've never got close Who's crying now?

[edit on 7-5-2009 by crgintx]