A US magistrate judge rejected Thursday an attempt by federal law enforcement to seize a Tewksbury motel because of drug activity that took place there.
“After careful consideration of the evidence, pleadings, and argument of counsel, this court concludes that the government has failed to meet its burden of establishing that the motel is subject to forfeiture,” US Magistrate Judge Judith Dein wrote in her ruling Thursday.
Comments
Carmen the O gets another wack in public. Wonder what Harvey Silverglate will say about this example of overzealous law enforcement and prosecutorial conduct. . .
Look on the map. Motel Caswell is down the street from a Motel 6. And one exit from a Holiday Inn, Fairfield Inn, etc. Wonder why the Feds didn't try to seize a chain instead of an independant owner.
What is particularly outrageous about this civil case is that the taxpayers are paying for a person on the Federal payroll to peruse the Registry of Deeds and find mortgage-free commercial property and correlating that with arrest logs so that the Feds and the local police can divy up the proceeds after they sell the property they've seized. If it weren't for this libertarian law firm from Virginia taking the case and successfully beating back these fascist forces of our government, Mr. Caswell would be on the street without a livelihood tonight. Hats off to US Magistrate Judge Judith Dein. Besides the 600,000 dollars in attorneys fees which will be taken from the taxpayers, we also have paid these goons in law enforcement thousands of dollars for their time in trying to take his personal property and tied up the court for 2 days hearing the case. I'll bet $1.5 million total spent on this travesty. Enough.