Scott Bullock on Siezure of Cash by Police
on Friday, October 3, 2014
John Darkow – Columbia Daily Tribune
Scott Bullock Money Quotation saying police or federal agents can stop anyone, sieze all cash and arrest those who refuse to sign waivers. Senior Attorney at Institute for Justice, Scott Bullock said:
“Under Civil Forfeiture Laws your money is guilty until you prove it innocent” — Scott Bullock
In this quote, Scott Bullock is criticizing the injustices of civil asset forfeiture laws in the United States. When he states that under civil forfeiture, “your money is guilty until you prove it innocent”, Bullock is pointing out that the legal framework of these laws flips the normal burden of proof.
Rather than the government needing to prove a person’s cash or property was involved in criminal activity to seize it, the onus is on the individual to prove their money was legally obtained in order to get it back.
Bullock appears to believe this presumption of guilt violates principles of due process by requiring citizens to demonstrate their innocence rather than law enforcement demonstrating wrongdoing.
Overall, the quote conveys Bullock’s view that civil forfeiture laws are fundamentally unfair and run counter to notions of innocent until proven guilty.
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