(NAC) Vehicle seizure statute - watch out!, Oakland, CA

[Gaidos, A.]

 All,
The Ca supreme court decided yesterday not to review an Oakland, Ca
ordinance allowing the seizure of your vehicle even if you are never
convicted of a crime.
 The ordinance also allows the seizure of your vehicle even if you were
unaware your vehicle was being used for a crime.
 Those crimes being the selling of drugs in any amount or the solicitation
of prostitution. This is a news story by David Kravets of the associated
press. I read it in today's Mercury News.
 Only two Ca. supreme court justices voted to review the case, the rest
abstaining. To date the city of Oakland has seized 300 cars and keeps the
profits from the sales. At least 12 other cities (mine likely one of them)
have contacted Oakland to get the details on how they might apply the same.
Only San Francisco has stated that they believe this to be unconstitutional.
The Mayor of Oakland is none other then Jerry Brown, former Ca Governor -
who would have thought he'd support such an un-American ordinance.
 Nina Wilder, a lawyer for the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice
said "there is something un-American about this that they can take your car
without you doing anything wrong".
 In 1997 the high court upheld the Oakland ordinance allowing such seizures
even if the suspect is not convicted.
 Who are these justices and who appointed them?


Anton J. Gaidos, III
'91 200q20vt
'90 90q20v
'85 urquattro