Hilda Bazan, a woman in her 50’s works in sales in Los Angeles. She lives with her two nephews. A few years ago, Hilda purchased a new Kia Optima. She often lent the car to her nephew, so he could get to work and run other errands. Some months ago, without Hilda’s knowledge, her nephew Read the full article…
Civil Asset Forfeiture
Under Civil Asset Forfeiture law, US citizens can often be subjected to having their money or property seized without having been even charged with a crime, let alone convicted of one. When police and law enforcement take property, with no trial, little due process, and sometimes no warning, it is up to the victim to hire a lawyer (if they can afford one) to try and get their property back.
The DKT Liberty Project believes that US citizens should not be considered guilty until proven innocent, and we are pushing back against civil forfeiture abuses by paying the attorney fees of victims and supporting efforts to get these laws reformed.
The Bronx Defenders Reach Sweeping Settlement with New York City Police
The Bronx Defenders is a nonprofit group that provides legal and other services to low income citizens in the Bronx, New York. They filed a lawsuit against the City of New York (Encarnacion v. the City of New York) on January 8th, 2016. This federal class action lawsuit challenged the police practice of keeping personal Read the full article…
DEA Agents Seize $60,000 at LAX in Unconstitutional Search; DKT Liberty Project Gets it Back
Stephen Clemmons, a bail bondsman from Delaware, decided to start a new chapter in his life, move to Los Angeles, and continue his work there. In February 2017, he packed his cash savings of $14,300 in a check-in suitcase under his clothing. In a separate black Nike backpack carry-on, he had another bag with $46,000 Read the full article…
Kala Rains Wins Case on Appeal
Kala Rains and her husband owned a small ranch in rural southern California. After her husband died, everything seemed to go downhill for her. Temptation came knocking in 2013 when a man said he would give her $300 to let two Mexican aliens stay one night at her ranch. She agreed, but one night turned Read the full article…
Time to put brakes on civil forfeiture law
Here’s a clip from Ronald Fraser’s opinion article on Civil Asset Forfieture: By giving police officers a huge financial incentive to aggressively target forfeitable assets, rather than pursue justice, the feds invite property rights abuse. What to do? According to the Institute for Justice, a Washington-based public-interest law firm, Pennsylvania lawmakers should follow the lead Read the full article…
Ending Nebraska’s property forfeiture scam
Ronald Frasher, Ph.D., writes on public policy issues for the DKT Liberty Project, and recently wrote the following for the Kerney Hub: “Ending Nebraska’s property forfeiture scam.” Here’s a clip: In response to mounting cases of private property abuse, Nebraska lawmakers are determined to end state and local law enforcement’s addition to a lucrative federal Read the full article…
VICTORY FOR THE FRIENDLY MARKET IN OKLAHOMA!
After three trials supported by the DKT Liberty Project, prosecutors drop all charges From the Washington Post: An Oklahoma prosecutor dropped drug-related charges Monday against the owner of a now-closed pipe shop in Norman and a store clerk after previous trials on similar charges ended in acquittals and a hung jury. “It is a surprise Read the full article…
Norman councilman, business partner found not guilty for allegedly selling drug paraphernalia
Just in from NBC News in Norman, Oklahoma (full story): The verdict is in for the trial against a Norman city councilman and his business partner, the owner of The Friendly Market. Monday night, Robert Cox and Stephen Holman were found not guilty on all counts. The two were accused of a felony and several Read the full article…
Prosecution of Oklahoma pipe shop leaves residents perplexed
From Sean Murphy at the Associated Press: While other states across the nation are easing penalties for marijuana use or legalizing the drug altogether, Norman police and its Republican district attorney are taking the opposite tack: pursuing criminal charges against the now-shuttered Friendly Market shop owner Robert Cox and several of his clerks for selling glass Read the full article…
NY Police Seize – – and Keep – – $ Millions from Low-Income People
DKT Liberty Project Partners with The Bronx Defenders to Stop Abusive and Unconstitutional Practices. New York police arrest hundreds of thousands of people each year, seizing cash, phones, and other personal property in most of these arrests. Now, the DKT Liberty Project and the Bronx Defenders are fighting back. With over 250 advocates and attorneys on Read the full article…