The Cash Cops of Tenaha, Texas
It was Friday of the last day of August, 2007 when Arkansas resident James Morrow attempted to mind his own business while driving peaceably through Tenaha, a small East Texas town in Shelby County south of Shreveport and Longview. According to a federal lawsuit (Morrow v Tenaha) filed by the American Civil Liberties Union there was “no legal justification” for what happened next. Morrow was stopped by Tenaha Deputy Marshall Barry Washington and asked to step out of his car. Deputy Washington then searched Morrow's car.
Then Deputy Washington was joined at the scene by Shelby County Precinct Four Constable Randy Whatley who searched the car with a dog. Following two searches of his car, Morrow was asked by Deputy Washington if he had any money, and he said yes, he was carrying about $3,900 in his wallet. Deputy Washington promptly seized $3,969 from Morrow, confiscated his two cell phones, and arrested him for “money laundering.”
“Washington had no reason to believe Plaintiff Morrow was guilty of money laundering,” says the federal lawsuit. “Defendants Washington and Russell told Plaintiff Morrow they would hold him prisoner and prosecute him for money laundering unless he would
agree to forfeit the $3969. Under this duress and these threats, Defendants Washington and Russell coerced Plaintiff Morrow to execute documents memorializing the forfeiture, and released him, and warned him to not hire a lawyer or try to get his money back.” The “money laundering” charges were subsequently dismissed.
Morrow is a black African American and the lead plaintiff in a case involving eight motorists who claim they were stopped and stripped of their cash for no other provocation than driving or riding through Tenaha while black. The cars they all drove were either rented or displayed out-of-state license plates.
full story here:
http://www.counterpunch.org/moses10192009.html
Just plain ol highway robbery. The whole incident provides
an unclothed example of the State in action. The so-called officers merely simplified the procedure and cut the lawyers out of the action. Will the officers be held criminally liable?
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"An economy built on fiat money is a society on its way to ashes."
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"An economy built on fiat money is a society on its way to ashes."
Doesn't look like it's going well...
*This story is just insane!*
see..
"To get your money back from these actors, they may demand that you prove it's not contraband and then prove how much they took. But these East Texas law enforcers are not finished grasping at bizarre license to ply their trade as the cash cops of Highway 59. D.A. Russell now seeks to use the forfeiture funds to pay for her defense."
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"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
"I think we are living in a world of lies: lies that don't even know they are lies, because they are the children and grandchildren of lies." ~ Chris Floyd
Thank You
For the article. It is becoming seemingly obvious that as a whole the police force in America is every bit as corrupt as the government itself as a whole.
Only it is much more disturbing, and close to home, when it involves the very people who are charged with the immediate task of protecting you.
Lets hold a poll:
yay = you trust your local police dept.
nay= you do not trust your local police dept.