First-time marijuana-possession offenders are typically not punished very severely, and it appears that retiree Luther Ricks of Lima, Ohio, and his wife Meredith aren’t going to face charges at all. So aside from the confiscation of their $400,000 in life savings, they should come out of it just fine (Greg Sowinski, “Man wants his $400K back from the FBI”, Lima News, Dec. 18; Radley Balko, Dec. 21 and Mar. 21; “Forfeiture Folly”, Reason, April).
Great moments in forfeiture law
First-time marijuana-possession offenders are typically not punished very severely, and it appears that retiree Luther Ricks of Lima, Ohio, and his wife Meredith aren’t going to face charges at all. So aside from the confiscation of their $400,000 in life savings, they should come out of it just fine (Greg Sowinski, “Man wants his $400K […]
One Comment
The trouble with the theory that frugal living gave rise to $400,000 in the home safe is that such savings pay no dividends or interest. One could test the story by looking at series dates on the bills. How much of the money is 1970 vintage?
Still, I don’t like the punishment of forfeiture for a non-defined crime. The “REASON” article suggests that the government has an obligation, under law, to show the $400,000 to be ill gotten gains.