Comments on Theo Spark: Presumed guilt

Not that it's worth much nowadays, the Bill of Rig...

2008-02-26T13:27:33.075Z

Not that it's worth much nowadays, the Bill of Rights (the real English one, which is still law, not Gordon's fucked up proposal) actually forbids forfeitures and seizures without due process.

Great- so we can look forward to the abolition of ...

2008-02-25T20:56:43.703Z

Great- so we can look forward to the abolition of taxes then- they wont be needed any more!

"Note that in the US, the guilt or innocence of th...

2008-02-25T17:47:30.911Z

"Note that in the US, the guilt or innocence of the party whose assets were seized is entirely separate from the ability of the State to keep the assets. Thus you can be found innocent - or even have charges dropped - and the State gets to keep your car, cash, or house."

...and their excuse for getting to keep your stuff is that forfeiture is handled under civil law, not criminal law. They did that because the standard the government must meet is much lower: no presumption of innocence, no need for proof beyond a reasonable doubt, etc. Try googling "civil forfeiture"...first link is to a Treasury Department page describing the whole sordid process. That's what you want to avoid, as it's free license for (frequently cash-strapped) law enforcement to take what it wants, when it wants.

'Hang all politicians'Er - you didn't really think...

2008-02-25T10:53:24.183Z

'Hang all politicians'

Er - you didn't really think all that close armed police protection was there to protect our politicians from Al Qaeda did you ?

Still no moves to criminalise drugs USERS I see. ...

2008-02-25T10:42:36.463Z

Still no moves to criminalise drugs USERS I see. Far easier and more effective to cut off the demand rather than the supply wouldn't you think ?

Yet the authorities are remarkably lenient as regards the likes of Kate Moss and Pete Dougherty, in fact they seem to admire them and they are rewarded with fame and sympathy. An 'unintended consequence' of this is that they become role models for youngsters.

But that's da YooKay all over now. A topsy-turvy land where nasty criminals of all types are the 'victims' and 76-year-old war veterans who refuse to pay iniquitous council taxes are banged up in a thrice. Incidentally while this is happening our odious and lecherous Secretary of State for Justice (Justice ? What a fucking joke !) Jack Straw implores judges not to jail burglars and drug dealers becuase our prisons are full. Tremble ye not in your beds, rest assured that there'll always be room for the likes of 76-year-old Mr Fitzmaurice who was disgracefully paraded in manacles this week.

So are these new powers of siezure about preventing the illegal use of narcotics ? Let's not be silly now. I should imagine that much of the new elite enjoy a snort too much.

From the recent expenses scandals it is clear that many of our politicians have been bought so that they turn away as their country is abolished.

But judging by the tightness of Mr Fitzmaurice's hadncuffs there is a weakness in the system. Clearly they are terrified at the prospect of a mass refusal to pay council tax (why not throw in the BBC licence fee while we're at it.)

I think that the task of putting our politicians back in their place would be far easier than you think. It would need coordination though and the coming recession should certainly provide the impetus and motivation as our people are awakened from their torpur with a cold dash of reality.

So an 85yr old man refrains from calling jack stra...

2008-02-25T05:55:22.941Z

So an 85yr old man refrains from calling jack straw an idiot hands his mate a fag and bam hes a dealer and the fuzz steal his cat! bastards all

Fight it, if you can. Asset forfeiture has been o...

2008-02-25T05:50:30.746Z

Fight it, if you can. Asset forfeiture has been one of the biggest trespasses against freedom and in the States, and we've got more going for us here. I hate to see it happen in Britain also.

Yep. Note that in the US, the guilt or innocence o...

2008-02-25T04:22:29.806Z

Yep. Note that in the US, the guilt or innocence of the party whose assets were seized is entirely separate from the ability of the State to keep the assets. Thus you can be found innocent - or even have charges dropped - and the State gets to keep your car, cash, or house. Don't get me started, my blood pressure gets so high, I have red-outs.

They pulled this crap in the states and yes it wor...

2008-02-25T03:28:53.898Z

They pulled this crap in the states and yes it worked out about as badly as you'd expect...