To the Editor:

Regarding your article in Tuesday’s Beacon entitled “Chief outraged by loss of forfeiture funds,” I have a few things to say.

These civil and criminal “forfeitures” or “confiscations” for possible illegal acts without charges being brought may be legal under recent rulings, but they are unlawful under the Fourth and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution.  Our Constitution is the supreme law of the land. We are talking about a presumption of innocence and unlawful search and seizure.  These are basic rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights.  

These seizures are performed by law enforcement and the Federal government ad libitum supposedly to target citizens involved in the so-called drug trade and other nefarious industries dealing with cash. Most often these confiscations of cash are done during routine traffic stops often without charges, viz. guilty while traveling with a large amount of cash.  Thousands of innocent people have lost their life savings, money for a new car, money for a house, money to start a new business, real estate, money to invest, with little or no recourse to reimbursement.  And the cost of litigation to get it back?  Out of reach.  

Some of the confiscations have undoubtedly helped the fight against money-laundering in the so-called war on drugs, but when rights are violated, there is no lawful justification under the Constitution. 

I have to wonder if our police chief has considered the irony when he states, “This is money being taken away from us”.  Well, Chief, what about the money “taken away from citizens” and stolen from thousands of Americans every day without criminal charges in order to benefit the federal government or a department’s bottom line? 

This is not constitutional America.  This is pure tyrannical despotism. 

Jim Morgan

Warwick