|
Asset
Forfeiture:
Feds
Try
to
Seize
Drug
Suspects'
Dental
Work
4/14/06
https://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/431/grillz.shtml
Stories about federal drug
fighters seizing cars, homes, cash, and other assets from drug defendants
are nothing new, but in Tacoma, Washington, federal prosecutors tried to
seize the fancy dental work of two alleged drug dealers. Known as
grillz, the customized tooth caps made of precious metals and jewels can
cost thousands of dollars.
Last week, Flenard Neal Jr.
and Donald Jamar Lewis were pulled from their cells at the Federal Detention
Center and taken to the US Marshal's office, where they were told the government
had a warrant to seize their grills, the Seattle Times reported.
Fortunately for the pair and their smiles, they were able to call their
lawyers before being driven to a Seattle dental office for the removal.
Their lawyers were able to get a permanent stay of the seizure order from
US Magistrate J. Kelley Arnold the same day.
"I've been doing this for
over 30 years and I have never heard of anything like this," Richard Troberman,
a forfeiture specialist and past president of the Washington Association
of Criminal Defense Lawyers, told the Times. "It sounds like Nazi
Germany when they were removing the gold teeth from the bodies, but at
least then they waited until they were dead."
Some grillz are removable
and can be snapped onto the teeth, but others are permanently bonded to
the teeth. Neal and Lewis have grillz of the latter variety.
A spokesman for the US Attorney's office in Seattle said it did not realize
the grillz were permanent. "Asset forfeiture is a fairly routine
procedure, and our attorneys were under the impression that these snapped
out like a retainer," said Emily Langlie.
Lawyers for the pair criticized
what they called a clandestine effort to seize and remove the grillz.
"It's shocking that this kind of action by the federal government could
be sought and accomplished in secret, without anyone being notified," said
Schwartz. "It reminds me of the secret detentions" in terrorist cases.
-- END --
|
Issue #431
-- 4/14/06
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