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hideyoursheep
03-14-2009, 09:08 AM
Texas town's police seize valuables from black motorists
By HOWARD WITT Chicago Tribune



TENAHA — 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 have allegedly 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 laundering or other serious crimes.

More than 140 people reluctantly accepted that deal from June 2006 to June 2008, according to court records. Among them were a black grandmother from Akron, Ohio, who surrendered $4,000 in cash after Tenaha police pulled her over, and an interracial couple from Houston, who gave up more than $6,000 after police threatened to seize their children and put them into foster care, the court documents show. Neither the grandmother nor the couple were charged with or convicted of any crime.

Officials in Tenaha, situated along a heavily traveled state highway connecting Houston with several popular gambling destinations in Louisiana, say they are engaged in a battle against drug trafficking, and they call the search-and-seizure practice a legitimate use of the state’s asset-forfeiture law.

That law permits local police agencies to keep drug money and other property used in the commission of a crime and add the proceeds to their budgets.

"We try to enforce the law here," said George Bowers, mayor of the town of 1,046, where boarded-up businesses outnumber open ones and City Hall sports a broken window. "We’re not doing this to raise money. That’s all I’m going to say at this point."

But civil rights lawyers call Tenaha’s practice something else: highway robbery. The lawyers have filed a federal class-action lawsuit to stop what they contend is an unconstitutional perversion of the law’s intent, aimed primarily at African-Americans who have done nothing wrong.

Tenaha officials "have developed an illegal 'stop and seize’ practice of targeting, stopping, detaining, searching and often seizing property from apparently nonwhite citizens and those traveling with nonwhite citizens," asserts the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas.

The property seizures are not just happening in Tenaha. In southern parts of Texas near the Mexican border, for example, Hispanics allege that they are being singled out.

A prominent Texas state legislator said police agencies across the state are wielding the asset-forfeiture law more aggressively to supplement their shrinking operating budgets.

In 147 cases, court records showed that the police seized cash, jewelry, cellphones and sometimes even automobiles from motorists but never found any contraband or charged them with any crime.

Of those, Guillory said he managed to contact 40 of the motorists directly — and discovered all but one of them were black.

"The whole thing is disproportionately targeted toward minorities, particularly African-Americans," Guillory said. "Every one of these people is pulled over and told they did something, like, 'You drove too close to the white line.’ That’s not in the penal code, but it sounds plausible. None of these people have been charged with a crime, none were engaged in anything that looked criminal. The sole factor is that they had something that looked valuable."

In some cases, police used the fact that motorists were carrying large amounts of cash as evidence that they must have been involved in laundering drug money, even though Guillory said each of the drivers he contacted could account for where the money had come from and why they were carrying it, such as for a gambling trip to Shreveport or to buy a used car from a private seller.

Once the motorists were detained, the police and the Shelby County district attorney quickly drew up legal papers presenting them with an option: waive their rights to their cash and property or face felony charges for crimes such as money laundering — and the prospect of having to hire a lawyer and return to Shelby County multiple times to attend court sessions to contest the charges.

The process apparently is so routine in Tenaha that Guillory discovered presigned and prenotarized police affidavits with blank spaces left for an officer to fill in a description of the property being seized.

Jennifer Boatright, her husband and two young children — a mixed-race family — were traveling from Houston to visit relatives in East Texas in April 2007 when Tenaha police pulled them over, alleging that they were driving in a left-turn lane.

After searching the car, the officers discovered what Boatright said was a gift for her sister: a small, unused glass pipe made for smoking marijuana.

Although they found no drugs or other contraband, the police seized $6,037 that Boatright said the family was carrying to buy a used car and then threatened to turn their children, ages 10 and 1, over to Child Protective Services if the couple didn’t agree to sign over their right to their cash.

"It was give them the money or they were taking our kids," Boatright said. "They suggested that we never bring it up again. We figured we better give them our cash and get the hell out of there."

Several months later, after Boatright and her husband contacted a lawyer, Tenaha officials returned their money but offered no explanation or apology. The couple remain plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit.

Except for Tenaha’s mayor, none of the defendants in the federal lawsuit, including Shelby County District Attorney Linda Russell and two Tenaha police officers, responded to requests from the Chicago Tribune for comment about their search-and-seizure practices. Lawyers for the defendants also declined to comment, as did several of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1255818.html

hideyoursheep
03-14-2009, 09:24 AM
You just don't know who or what is behind those hoods...

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sadaist
03-14-2009, 09:46 AM
black motorists

if you’re African-American

many of them black

aimed primarily at African-Americans

particularly African-Americans [/URL]

All the article does is insinuate without any facts or evidence. It does state one person checked 40 and found that 39 were blacks. So 39 out of 147? What about the other 107 people? Where are the documents they checked? How can we confirm this before we start throwing the race card around? And just who is this "Guillory" person? It only states that name...no first or last name, nor any credentials of why they are believable. Made up name?

Considering this is written by a "journalist" that does a series titled RACE IN AMERICA, I'd like to check real facts to ensure he's not just spinning small portions of a story to fit his writing agenda. Also considering this is a lead story for BET doesn't help their case.

And the mayor is voted in by the people of Tenaha. I find it hard to believe he is a blatant racist considering the makeup of his constituents......."The racial makeup of the town was 42.06% White, 42.04% African American"*

The population quoted as 1,046 is nearly 10 years ago. Although that was the latest census information available, the possible out dating should be noted. Although a minor difference, better & more current information is pop. 1,110 as of 07/2007.

Just because someone writes it doesn't make it true. It seems nowadays journalists write whatever will get them the most exposure, then scurry to try to back up what they already wrote. It's supposed to be the other way around.


Tenaha, Texas (TX 75974) Detailed Profile - relocation, real estate, travel, jobs, hospitals, schools, crime, move, moving, houses news, sex offenders (http://www.city-data.com/city/Tenaha-Texas.html)

hideyoursheep
03-14-2009, 09:54 AM
David Guillory, a lawyer in Nacogdoches who filed the federal lawsuit, said he combed through Shelby County court records from 2006 to 2008 and discovered nearly 200 cases in which Tenaha police seized cash and property from motorists. In about 50 of the cases, suspects were charged with drug possession.

But in 147 others, Guillory said the court records showed that the police seized cash, jewelry, cellphones and sometimes even automobiles from motorists but never found any contraband or charged them with any crime.

Of those, Guillory said he managed to contact 40 of the motorists directly — and discovered all but one of them were black


So let's recap...

50 out of nearly 200 cases brought charges.

147 weren't ever charged with anything!

Guillory managed to contact 40 of those 147.

All but 1 was black.

You don't see a pattern?

sadaist
03-14-2009, 10:06 AM
David Guillory, a lawyer in Nacogdoches who filed the federal lawsuit, said he combed through Shelby County court records from 2006 to 2008 and discovered nearly 200 cases in which Tenaha police seized cash and property from motorists. In about 50 of the cases, suspects were charged with drug possession.

But in 147 others, Guillory said the court records showed that the police seized cash, jewelry, cellphones and sometimes even automobiles from motorists but never found any contraband or charged them with any crime.

Of those, Guillory said he managed to contact 40 of the motorists directly — and discovered all but one of them were black


So let's recap...

50 out of nearly 200 cases brought charges.

147 weren't ever charged with anything!

Guillory managed to contact 40 of those 147.

All but 1 was black.

You don't see a pattern?

Now you're re-writing the original story :) How nice of you. Look how quickly you obtained those facts. Why wasn't the "journalist" able to do that? Like I said, write something inflammatory that will get lots of pub, then back it up after the fact.

So let's recap...

39 of 40 were supposedly black....proof?

What of the other 107?...thorough much?


I see the pattern the writer wants the reader to see. I see a pattern of incomplete reporting lacking facts and evidence. I'm not saying that this isn't happening, I'm saying this piece is horribly written, biased, and lacking anything to back it up other than hearsay and innuendo.

hideyoursheep
03-14-2009, 10:09 AM
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,046 people.
Since half of the town's population is non-white, it's a helluva coincidence that 1 out of 40 that get ROBBED are NON Black. Doesn't mean the 1 couldn't have been Hispanic.







$$$$$

sadaist
03-14-2009, 10:12 AM
it's a helluva coincidence that 1 out of 40 that get ROBBED are NON Black.

Proof? Other than one persons claims?

hideyoursheep
03-14-2009, 10:19 AM
What?!!

Did You not read the article?


Are you trying to make excuses for the police taking peoples property for no fucking reason, which is absolutely criminal?!


Go on down there and speed through the school zone...see if they keep your shit, then tell us how you feel.

sadaist
03-14-2009, 10:39 AM
What?!!

Are you trying to make excuses for the police taking peoples property for no fucking reason, which is absolutely criminal?!



It's titled and presented as racist. Where is the proof before you post this blatantly inflammatory crap? If it's just about police seizing property, present it that way. If you are going to call it racist, for Christs sake back it up. There are enough racism problems in this country already without stirring the pot unnecessarily.

An unbiased, well written article will tell the story and list hard facts & evidence...then leave it to the reader to analyze those facts and determine whether or not racism is in play. This piece clearly makes race the predominant factor in the story yet provides zero evidence. We should be tired of so called "journalists" being so obviously biased and giving us our opinions.

FORD
03-14-2009, 01:58 PM
Rather than argue over whether or not the practice is racist, shouldn't we first establish that it's fascist?

I.e. stealing the property of someone who isn't even charged with, let alone convicted of a crime.

THAT is the first issue. The bias in their targets is the second.

As far as whether *I* believe it's racially motivated.... well this is the state that tolerates David DuKKKe, and the home of racist cops who wouldn't let "certain people" from New Orleans walk over the bridges that would have let them out of the city in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

ELVIS, any comments on this?

GAR
03-15-2009, 02:32 AM
Obama's doing the exact same thing, asshole!

hideyoursheep
03-15-2009, 02:38 AM
Really?


How much he hit you for?

Nickdfresh
03-15-2009, 08:14 AM
Really?


How much he hit you for?

LMFAO!!! Gar's getting a tax break for his minimum wage job, and he still bitches!!!:biggrin:

vh rides again
03-15-2009, 10:11 AM
they should list their occupations and work history, maybe a criminal history on these people.

they are probably siezing crack dealers cars.

Nickdfresh
03-15-2009, 10:46 AM
they should list their occupations and work history, maybe a criminal history on these people.

they are probably siezing crack dealers cars.

So they're letting crack dealers go if they let the state steal their objects?

vh rides again
03-15-2009, 11:11 AM
So they're letting crack dealers go if they let the state steal their objects?
no, i would say that these people who are having thier stuff siezed have a lengthy criminal record and are well know to officials, so they have concocted a scheme to take away thier shit.

you see it all the time, 17 year old black/white kid rollin through the neighborhood in his 40k car all decked out in bling.
never worked a day in his life,neither has his entire family, since slavery was ended. he has a past criminal history of drugs or gang activity.

lets see, where did this kid get all this cash to buy all his shit? drug dealer, so lets pass this cool ass law and steal his shit. fuck him, he shoulda been shot.

i highly doubt that article is anywhere close to the real story.

hope i didnt affend ya with my answer, i dont like these nasty ass little gangbangers at all, they should be burned out of thier dwellings and shot.

vh rides again
03-15-2009, 11:49 AM
i highly doubt that article is anywhere close to the real story.



i take what i said there back.

it does sound like a true story, especially where the mixed race couple are pulled over and have a pot pipe in the car.

if i was a cop and pulled them over, found thier drug paraphenalia and kids in the same car i woulda put them through the ropes, charged them with every charge i could think of.

jesus christ, doesnt anyone have any shame anymore? they are driving around with paraphenalia and kids and think theres nothing wrong with it, they admit it and in the same breath accuse the cops of being criminals.

get a life.

sadaist
03-15-2009, 03:21 PM
i take what i said there back.

it does sound like a true story, especially where the mixed race couple are pulled over and have a pot pipe in the car.

if i was a cop and pulled them over, found thier drug paraphenalia and kids in the same car i woulda put them through the ropes, charged them with every charge i could think of.


Don't forget the over $6,000 in cash they had with them. The well written story begins by stating they were traveling to visit family. Later it states they had the cash with them to go buy a used car. Were they planning on driving both cars back the 4 hour drive after the visit? Seems like they could find a better used car in a huge city like Houston, rather than small town of 1,100...and save a ton of gas money too. Sounds legit to me. Yet the part that infuriates most people is that they are a "mixed-race" couple.

Sickening what we allow to pass for journalism these days.

FORD
03-15-2009, 03:29 PM
Like I said, it's a given that there are racist cops in Texas or Louisiana or where ever the fuck this was. But shouldn't the primary focus be on the blatant unconstitutional naziism of what they are doing, before the ethnic background of the targets?

If these pigs were stealing the property of a white man, it would be just as wrong.

sadaist
03-15-2009, 03:41 PM
If these pigs were stealing the property of a white man, it would be just as wrong.

Yes. I don't have a problem stringing these cops up by their balls, if indeed this is what they are doing. My problem is with the way the piece is written & how most who read it will just see the racism. Writing is a very powerful tool and it is relatively easy to write an article and make the reader lean a particular way. However, much more investigation needs to be done on this situation while any practice even remotely resembling this is placed on hold.


Why is the property and cash being confiscated
Why are they so willing to hand over their cash & property and not say "No, you can not take my money, that belongs to me. Press charges."
Why does it seem so many people are driving through this impoverished, out of the way town in Texas with thousands of dollars in cash.

and much more........

alicebowie
03-15-2009, 06:15 PM
David Guillory, a lawyer in Nacogdoches who filed the federal lawsuit, said he combed through Shelby County court records from 2006 to 2008 and discovered nearly 200 cases in which Tenaha police seized cash and property from motorists. In about 50 of the cases, suspects were charged with drug possession.

But in 147 others, Guillory said the court records showed that the police seized cash, jewelry, cellphones and sometimes even automobiles from motorists but never found any contraband or charged them with any crime.

Of those, Guillory said he managed to contact 40 of the motorists directly — and discovered all but one of them were black


So let's recap...

50 out of nearly 200 cases brought charges.

147 weren't ever charged with anything!

Guillory managed to contact 40 of those 147.

All but 1 was black.

You don't see a pattern?
Is it possible Guillory only tried to contact people he assumed were
black and accidently called one white boy.39 0f 147 being black doesn't equal discrimination.The police that did this should be arrested.Any stats on the
races of the officers or should we assume they're all white?

hideyoursheep
03-15-2009, 06:47 PM
Sorry, FORD....The only button available was the groan, and I mistook it for the thanks...:0

Nickdfresh
03-15-2009, 06:53 PM
i take what i said there back.

it does sound like a true story, especially where the mixed race couple are pulled over and have a pot pipe in the car.

if i was a cop and pulled them over, found thier drug paraphenalia and kids in the same car i woulda put them through the ropes, charged them with every charge i could think of.

jesus christ, doesnt anyone have any shame anymore? they are driving around with paraphenalia and kids and think theres nothing wrong with it, they admit it and in the same breath accuse the cops of being criminals.

get a life.


Yeah, because fucking drug paraphernalia like bongs is much worse than rapists and murderers out on the street...

Nickdfresh
03-15-2009, 06:55 PM
This is nothing short of legalized extortion by the state...because a cop doesn't like someone, he/she can subjectively throw the book a people because they "look guilty" (i.e. are black, mixed race couples, Muslims, etc)?!

Where does it fucking end?

I suppose some of the morons even half-heartily defending this shit will call themselves "libertarians" because they want their taxes lowered. Fucking hypocrites!!

alicebowie
03-15-2009, 08:10 PM
This is nothing short of legalized extortion by the state...because a cop doesn't like someone, he/she can subjectively throw the book a people because they "look guilty" (i.e. are black, mixed race couples, Muslims, etc)?!

Where does it fucking end?

I suppose some of the morons even half-heartily defending this shit will call themselves "libertarians" because they want their taxes lowered. Fucking hypocrites!!

Why does this have to be about race ? If they were only targeting whites
would it be o.k.? Does this article say it was only white cops? Some cops
abuse their authority.What proof is there that some of the victims were
innocent? I witnessed a bust once where the cops confiscated a bunch
of pot plants but brought no charges for that.They did however warn
everyone there to keep quiet about the pot.You know they never turned
it in.They sold it .

Nickdfresh
03-15-2009, 09:36 PM
Why does this have to be about race ?

I dunno. You tell me? Actually, I have a theory...


If they were only targeting whites
would it be o.k.?

When the fuck did I even come close to implying that? I think my comments to the affect of "where does it stop?!" might clue you in that I am deathly afraid that such successes and injustices will spill over into poor whites who can't afford lawyers (which is what this is all about, victimizing people who are uneducated, inarticulate, and don't bother fighting back), then middle class whites, and so on....


Does this article say it was only white cops? Some cops
abuse their authority.

What fucking difference does that make?


What proof is there that some of the victims were
innocent?

Um, read about the law much?


I witnessed a bust once where the cops confiscated a bunch
of pot plants but brought no charges for that.They did however warn
everyone there to keep quiet about the pot.You know they never turned
it in.They sold it .

Oh God no! Pot you say?!


Where they Mexican drug lords or Colombian cartel members?

jhale667
03-15-2009, 10:02 PM
Not sure which is more disturbing...this story, or the mouth-breathing idiots trying to rationalize it. :barf:

Totally agree with FORD on this one, the practice itself is wrong, and these dirty cops should be strung up for it. That they're targeting minorities makes it even more despicable.

And for the poster decrying the mixed couple carrying an unused pipe that was to be a gift in their car while the kids were in the vehicle...build a bridge and get the fuck over yourself.

GAR supporting it? No surprise there. :rolleyes:

hideyoursheep
03-16-2009, 01:49 AM
GAR supporting it? No surprise there. :rolleyes:

That's because GAR can always get another library card....

He doesn't have anything else worth taking.
:D