New Law Stops Cops From Taking Innocent People's Stuff

New Ohio Law Stops Cops From Taking Innocent People's Stuff 
 
Ohio Gov. John Kasich ® on Wednesday signed a bill reining in law enforcement’s power to permanently seize property from people who have not been convicted of a crime, and in many cases have not even been charged with one.
 
The bill, HB 347, addresses the controversial practice known as civil asset forfeiture. Police say they use the tool to target the financial proceeds of criminal enterprises, as it allows officers to confiscate cash and property from individuals whom they suspect of being involved in illegal activity, even when officers may not have clear evidence of the supposed crime. But critics say the broad application of civil forfeiture has made it ripe for abuse, and has given rise to a system of policing for profit that lets departments pad their budgets with assets seized from innocent civilians.
 
The new law, set to go into effect by early this year, will take care of a number of key concerns about civil forfeiture in Ohio.
 
HB 347 creates a two-tier system for forfeiture. Cash or property valued at under $15,000 will require a criminal conviction prior to forfeiture. Anything above $15,000 will remain in the civil system, though the bill raises the burden of proof for forfeiture, meaning authorities will first have to show “clear and convincing evidence” that property is linked to criminal activity. Although this is a lower burden of proof than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard required for a criminal conviction, it is the highest standard in the civil system.
 
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-ohi...ar-BBxU3ES

Wait a second here.....I smell marijuana!
 
How Police Officers Seize Cash From Innocent Americans
 
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