Iraq War Vet Wants Confiscated Cash Returned

[SomeGuy]

Can you say "Highway Robbery?"

Mississippi Hinds County deputies can and obviously know how to put it in practice.

Don't cooperate with the kops? You are automatically, guilty.
Cooperate with kops and you are automatically screwed.

MSNBC News

Iraq War Vet Wants Confiscated Cash Returned
Hinds County Deputy Takes Nearly $5,000 From Texas Man


updated 5:46 p.m. CT, Tues., March. 3, 2009

JACKSON, Miss. - A disabled Iraq war veteran said on Monday that he plans to battle Hinds County to get nearly $5,000 back that deputies confiscated during a traffic stop.

The Texas man asked the American Civil Liberties Union for help because the county said he'll have to sue to get his money back.

Deputies in Clinton pulled Hiran Medina over while his friend was driving during their trip from Kileen, Texas, to Georgia.

Medina said he cooperated with the deputies and even let them to search his van. It's a decision he said could cost him $5,000 of his hard-earned money and time in court fighting to get it back.

Medina vowed not to return home to Texas until he gets the money back that Hinds County sheriff's deputies confiscated during the traffic stop Saturday night.

Medina said the money was to buy supplies for a Texas lawn service.

"I'm thinking, seized property, we didn't get a ticket or nothing," Medina said. "They just took our money and left."

Medina gave deputies permission to search his minivan. Once deputies found the money, Medina said they handcuffed him and his friend and read them their rights. But then they let the men go.

Medina's friend got a warning for allegedly swerving.

Deputies gave Medina a forfeiture notice saying that Medina has to sue the county within 30 days to get his money, and if he doesn't, the sheriff's office gets to keep every penny.

Hinds County sheriff's officials declined to comment on camera.

"I feel violated, man, and discriminated," Medina said. "We got stopped because we are racially profiled. We are black."

Medina took his case to the ACLU. The organization could represent him in court.

"It could be an example of the kind of racial profiling that we see across Mississippi, and that doesn't matter what race of the officer or the deputy was," said Brent Cox, of the ACLU.

Medina said he is not involved with any illegal activity and doesn't have a criminal record for drugs.

He said he thinks his Texas plates, foreign accent and dark skin were the reason he was pulled over.

"I told him I served my country for 20 years," Medina said. "I served in Iraq. I am a disabled vet and that's how you treat me?"

Hinds County deputies made a marijuana bust at the same location earlier this month. They recovered 100 pounds of marijuana. The truck also had Texas plates.

Medina said the deputies were talking about that bust while he was handcuffed. He also said they laughed about taking his money.

Medina said he has contacted the sheriff's office Internal Affairs Division.

The ACLU said on Monday that anyone who must travel with large sums of money should get travelers checks or keep bank receipts.

 

[JohnnyATL]

this is fucked up, i know alot of people that carry at least 1000 on them all the time.

How much money is suspicious enough for the cops to confiscate, or is it up the the cop?

 

[SomeGuy]

Thanks Johnny for replying! I went and found this update that answers your question at least in Ms.

BUT, 10k is an automatic seizure? WTF??
I guess as long as they put a "War on _____" in front of whatever they do, the Constitution doesn't mean squat.

MSNBC

Money Confiscated By Hinds Co. Deputy Returned To Texas Man
Nearly $5,000 Seized During Traffic Stop

JACKSON, Miss. - The Hinds County Sheriff's Department returned nearly $5,000 of confiscated cash to a Texas man on Tuesday.

WAPT.com Extra: Sheriff Returns Confiscated Money

On Monday, 16 WAPT News reported that deputies pulled Hiran Medina over in Clinton while his friend was driving during their trip from Kileen, Texas, to Georgia.
Medina said he cooperated with the deputies and even let them to search his van. Once deputies found the money, Medina said they handcuffed him and his friend and read them their rights. But then they let the men go.

Medina, a disabled Iraq war veteran, said on Monday that he planned to battle Hinds County to get nearly $5,000 back that deputies confiscated during the traffic stop. Medina said the money was to buy supplies for a Texas lawn service.

Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said during a news conference on Tuesday that the money would be returned to Medina because the amount didn’t meet the $10,000 threshold for automatic seizure.

Also at the news conference, McMillin released the incident report from Medina's traffic stop. The report says the deputy stopped Medina's gold minivan because the driver crossed the middle line. The report says the deputy got suspicious when he saw Medina switch places with his friend in the driver's seat.

McMillin said the deputy was acting in good faith and the only reason they returned the money was because it's under $10,000. McMillin also said that the county will cover the expenses Medina accrued while he was waiting to sort the matter out.

Medina said the sheriff's office Internal Affairs Division called him on Tuesday to tell him the news.

"I'm glad I got my money back," Medina said. "This is hard-earned money."

He offered some advice for people traveling with cash: Keep the paperwork for your money.

 

[SomeGuy]

Another story from the 5th.

MSNBC

Seized Money Benefits Hinds Co. Sheriff's Office
16 WAPT Investigation Tracks $125,012 In Spending

CLINTON, Miss. - Proceeds from Hinds County Sheriff's Department busts could save taxpayers money, an exclusive 16 WAPT investigation has learned.

Deputies seized nearly $5,000 from a disabled Iraq war veteran during a traffic stop, but the sheriff returned the money after an exclusive 16 WAPT investigation because it was less than $10,000.

Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin confirmed that the department buys equipment using seized funds. The department got to keep tens of thousands of dollars last year, 16 WAPT's Joseph Pleasant reported.

Hiran Medina left Hinds County smiling after receiving nearly $5,000 in seized money back from the sheriff's office. Hinds County deputies seized the cash during a traffic stop on Interstate 20 over the weekend.

"I'm glad I got my money back," Medina said.

But in other cases like a bust last month, Hinds County kept the funds. The Hinds County Chancery Court told 16 WAPT News that the department seized $37,288 in conjunction with federal agencies in 2008.

Deputies seized another $82,526 in conjunction with other local or state agencies. For 2008, the sheriff's department seized $119,815.

"That's a lot of money. You can do a lot of things with that money," said Stella Jordan, of Jackson.

The Chancery Court said the department can only use the money for law enforcement supplies and training.

In 2008 the sheriff's department bought two new patrol cars with light bars and a 2008 ford Expedition. The department also bought gun holsters and 9-mm ammunition, among other field equipment. Inside the office, the department bought things like computers, printers, speakers and file cabinets.

In all, the department spent $125,012, including some money left over from 2007 -- purchases that would otherwise be made with tax dollars.

"The part that goes to, it I think it's a good Idea," said Doreisey Frazier, of Jackson.

As for the criminals who lose their money, some taxpayers give them no sympathy.

"No, (the criminals are) doing the wrong thing with it. No I do not" have sympathy, Jordan said.

According to a copy of the forfeiture notice the sheriff's department gave Medina, who is from Texas, it states, "If your money is seized, you have 30 days to sue the county and prove your money isn't tied to illegal activity. After that, the department will keep your money and spend it."

The Chancery Court told 16 WAPT that the sheriff's office had about $86,000 leftover from the 2008 fiscal year and the department is able to keep the money and use it in 2009.

 

[Fuzz420]

he'll spend more in legal fees to get his little 5k back. good luck cause he will need it. Those cocksuckers in mississippi dont play

 

[SomeGuy]

he'll spend more in legal fees to get his little 5k back. good luck cause he will need it.

Dood, read the stories. He got his cash back AND they paid his expenses.

 

[Fuzz420]

sorry didnt read the second article

 

[JohnnyATL]

still to racially profile someone then take there money is f'ed up no matter if they give it back or not.

 

[LiLWaynE]

Ive learned that po po's in Texas are SCUMBAGS....

you got that all you po po's reading this? dont be a scumbag like Texas PO PO's...

motherfuckers work hard for their money and you use your authority to take it...fuck that..



LW

 

[icmag.is.#1]

stump jumpers

 

[dontstepongrass]

BUT, 10k is an automatic seizure? WTF??

someguy, i've seen you in this forum alot so i am SHOCKED that would not know about the 10k rule...

has nothing to do with the local pigs at all. $10,000 is the amount of money that is ILLEGAL to have UNLESS you can prove how you got it. this is nothing new, ever try to deposit over 10g's at a bank? if you tried, the federal government is AUTOMATICALLY notified and it is looked into (maybe not now, but it goes in a file on somebodies desk for review at some point)

same thing goes for legit purchases over 10g's, paperwork is filled out that goes to feds. and if a business is caught not filling out said forms or lying on said forms THEY are now going to be charged.

this all stems from the government wanting their money. anything that you are found to be doing that lessens the amount they make off you is criminal.

 

[dri]

driving while black in mississippi is a harassable offense. especially with out of state plates. my sister got busted driving through mississippi smoking herb. she was visiting family. pig let her go. hypocrisy

 

[SomeGuy]

someguy, i've seen you in this forum alot so i am SHOCKED that would not know about the 10k rule...

Guess I just never saw it in print before and figured there had to be extenuating circumstances, guess I was just being naive.

I've actually had cash seized twice before back in the 80's and got it back BOTH TIMES. First time they snatched over 45k and a nice truck and the idiots didn't file their civil suit and the judge made them return all of it. One of the few times in my life I actually enjoyed being in court. The prosecutor was fuming having to write me a check that my lawyer and I immediately went to their bank and cashed. Of course they had to call the prosecutor which I'm sure was interesting as the bank manager kept looking over at us during the conversation before he coughed up the cash. Lawyer bill wasn't too bad on it either as all we had to do was wait till their filing period was passed and present the case to the judge.

The second time it was only a few k and another truck but they screwed up their paper work and had to return it. They weren't real happy about it either. I wasn't really that happy either as the lawyer ended up with most of it, but at least they didn't get it.

 

[SouthernGuerila]

He's not white, and #2 Hinds County is TROUBLE as is Rankin County. Though if he told the officers he was a war vet they most likely wouldn't of done anything. *shrug*