Four hundred and fifty-five miles of Interstate 80 run through Nebraska. But one 24-mile stretch has become nationally known – or notorious – for a type of traffic stop that sends millions to a single Nebraska county and its sheriff’s department.
  • @tallwookie@lemmy.worldEnglish
    8•1 year ago

    huh. either avoid Nebraska, carry no cash, or have a lawyer on retainer I guess. good to know.

    asset forfeiture must be a thing because there’s nothing in Nebraska & only 2 million residents (35% that live in one city, Omaha).

    • @SolemnEnglish
      8•1 year ago

      Civil asset forfeiture is a problem in a lot of states, not just Nebraska. Here’s a few from Texas, home of a lot of stuff, like some of the fastest growing cities in the US.

      https://reason.com/2022/02/18/dallas-police-seized-an-airline-passengers-cash-new-information-only-makes-their-case-weaker/

      https://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2023/01/10/veterans-case-to-hold-officers-responsible-for-robbing-his-savings-can-finally-move-forward/

      This and qualified immunity are the things that really strike me as big, common, root cause issues with policing.

      • @FormerGameDev@midwest.socialOPEnglish
        2•1 year ago

        I think it’s way worse in this town in Nebraska. At least, that’s the impression I get, from having heard several stories in the past several years about it.

        • @SolemnEnglish
          7•1 year ago

          Oh yeah, from the article it sounds like the entire town is funded off of high pressure civil asset forfeiture.

          The politicians who created the bill to eliminate civil asset forfeiture in Nebraska are idiots though. They didn’t notice the loopholes of it still being allowed if there’s any suspicion of drugs, or if the amount is over $25k? It’s their job, and the job of their supporting staff, to read the bills they’re proposing and passing and make sure stuff like this doesn’t happen. Saying they’re upset it still exists despite their efforts just emphasizes how incompetent they are at passing working laws.

          • @sin_free_for_00_daysEnglish
            6•1 year ago

            I remember when Kucinich was asked why he didn’t hop in line and vote for the PATRIOT ACT (fucked up name btw), and he replied because he read it. When the follow up was about why he read it and he replied that it was his job to do so. He was also against the Bush wars, so of course he got primaried. The boys at the top, they don’t like waves.

            • @SolemnEnglish
              5•1 year ago

              Oh yeah, the Patriot act was the biggest victory any terrorists could’ve hoped to gain over the US. People still get offended when I say that our modern security state means the terrorists, at least to some extent, won. They destroyed an important part of the fabric of our society.

          • @DaSaw@midwest.socialEnglish
            3•1 year ago

            You’re assuming they actually want to stop the practice. More likely they want to look like they’re stopping the practice.

    • @FormerGameDev@midwest.socialOPEnglish
      7•1 year ago

      Even the people who showed up in court to fight it lost their money. It’s pathetic.

      The quotes from the cops are absolutely frightening, and shit like that would NOT fly in most places.