$190k seized because brothers were "drug suspects" city refuses to return money

[DainBramaged]

in spite of court order forcing return

Two brothers who say police unlawfully seized more than $190,000 from them during a traffic stop had been under surveillance and were suspected of drug-dealing, a lawyer for the city of Aurora said today during a court hearing.

Though neither Jose nor Jesus Martinez is charged with a crime, authorities are seeking forfeiture of $190,040 found in Jesus' truck when he was stopped by an Aurora police officer on Oct. 18.

A Kane County judge ordered the money returned, but the city has refused.

The Aurora residents claim the money was family savings earned from a remodeling business. But during the hearing, an attorney disclosed reports from an Illinois State Police drug task force saying police had received court permission to tap the brothers' phones on the suspicion they were involved in drug trafficking.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/12/aurora-not-returning-money-it-seized-despite-a-court-order.html?obref=obinsite

[Bandit]

1. Innocent until proved guilty......Right....

America is not even close to the country it represents itself as..No trial, no verdict , yet punishment is applied...This is the Bush* doctrine all over again. If we even suspect someone of thinking of doing wrong we can go all out against them without warrant or due process. And Bush* and Cheney still strut around bragging about they made America safe..

[truedelphi]

8. Oh for heaven's sake - this is not the "Bush" doctrine.

The All Out Assault on our rights for the sake of a "drug free" America is a program dating back to Reagan's time.

And Bill Clinton did nothing to attempt to thwart it.

Though as recently as five years ago, he was telling a reporter at the SF Chronicle that it was a shame no one has attempted to legalize marijuana, and to look into legalizing all of it.

The reporter was like, "Uh, didn't you yourself hold a high office for eight years in the nineties?"

But this notion of legalizing drugs and ending the corruption that surrounds their illegality is one that the Powers that Be will not allow.

[Bandit]

11. I realize this has been going on for quite some time but exactly how does it differ

from the Bush* Doctrine other than people are not a foreign nation. The same logic applies, or do you not think so?

[Hannah Bell]

2. kr

[Mike 03]

3. Yell and scream. Bravo brilliant content. NT

[rucky]

4. The city must know they're innocent

because who in their right minds would steal that much money from a drug dealer?

[Warren DeMontague]

5. This is why the drug war idiocy plows on.

It's an extremely lucrative gravy train.

[eShirl]

6. forfeiture is why we see so many drug warriors kicking and screaming against legalization

[Rex]

7. Wow so they are keeping the money of two innocent men that worked

for it? Fucking police state mentality.

[intheflow]

10. Two innocent LATINO men.

Though I'm sure their race had nothing to do with the officers' actions. :eyes:

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. That happened here about 15 years ago

A guy's car was confiscated because a cop who was driving by just happened to stop and look in the window of the parked car and saw a SEED. So the cops took the car. Never proved that the guy was dealing drugs (or seeds) but they kept his car.

[mdmc]

12. ..