Post by Logan on Apr 19, 2016 4:22:59 GMT -6
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers want to know how often police are seizing people’s property and what happens with money they make from selling it.
Right now, law enforcement can take Hawaii residents’ property without a conviction or arrest as long as it’s tied to a crime. Then, they can sell it and keep the profits.
But lawmakers say that can promote abuse of the state’s civil asset forfeiture law. In response, they’re considering a resolution to ask for an audit to figure out how law enforcement and prosecutors are using money made from selling seized property. It would also examine how many times property was seized in cases where there weren’t convictions.
Hawaii has one of the worst asset forfeiture laws in the nation because innocent owners bear the burden of proof to show they had nothing to do with the crimes, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii.
Read more: www.westhawaiitoday.com/news/state-wire/hawaii-lawmakers-look-audit-civil-asset-forfeiture-unit
Right now, law enforcement can take Hawaii residents’ property without a conviction or arrest as long as it’s tied to a crime. Then, they can sell it and keep the profits.
But lawmakers say that can promote abuse of the state’s civil asset forfeiture law. In response, they’re considering a resolution to ask for an audit to figure out how law enforcement and prosecutors are using money made from selling seized property. It would also examine how many times property was seized in cases where there weren’t convictions.
Hawaii has one of the worst asset forfeiture laws in the nation because innocent owners bear the burden of proof to show they had nothing to do with the crimes, according to the American Civil Liberties Union of Hawaii.
Read more: www.westhawaiitoday.com/news/state-wire/hawaii-lawmakers-look-audit-civil-asset-forfeiture-unit