WHEN PROPERTY SEIZURE GOES TOO FAR

The article "Seized assets a cash cow for police" (State News, Dec. 28)
rhapsodized about how much money the practice of asset forfeiture is
bringing to Georgia police. Unfortunately, the article failed to emphasize
that much of the money and property state and federal police seize for
supposed drug crimes is not taken from convicted criminals; rather, it is
seized from people only *suspected* of committing crimes. It may be hard to
believe, but according to Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), in his book titled
"Forfeiting Our Property Rights," "80% of those who lose property to the
government through civil forfeitures are never charged with any crime."
Furthermore, although it is easy for police to seize our property on little
more than suspicion, an innocent owner, to get this property back, must
prove his innocence through a difficult legal process.

In the name of "fighting drugs," billions of dollars have been seized from
Americans who have never been convicted of any crime -- or even been
charged with one. By legalizing such tactics, the War on Drugs is turning
America into a police state and turning our police into robbers with
badges.

James W. Harris