Under America’s various asset forfeiture laws, police can legally keep any money they seize from criminals they put under arrest for doing criminal things. It’s kind of a finders-keepers system that is supposed to deter drug dealers from, well, dealing drugs. Unfortunately, these laws are often abused by less ethical police officers to harass law-abiding people who happen to carry a lot of cash.
An example would be when Miami-Dade Police pulled over erotic dancer Lizmixell Batista and her boyfriend for a minor traffic violation before essentially robbing her of $20,000 in cash. After searching her car without any probable cause, the officer found the cash and several legally owned fire arms for which the stripper had the proper permits for. Officers also found an unmarked bottle which he believed to be codeine cough syrup, so he seized everything placed the pair under arrest.
After releasing a press statement patting themselves on the back for what they called a “major drug bust” and removing an “arsenal of weapons, cash, and illegal drugs” form the streets the pair were quickly released without being charged. Neither Lizmixell or her boyfriend broke any laws and the arresting officer’s unlawful search negated the discovery of their codeine laced cough syrup.
However, when the erotic dancer asked for her $20,000 in hard earned tips back the police department refused. She promptly lawyered up and took the Miami-Dade Police Department to court and won! Huzzah!
It’s certainly no secret that talented strippers can haul in thousands of dollars in a single night. We once ready a story about an unnamed stripper on social media who posted her earnings from a single 15-hour shift at a high-end strip club. After it was all said and done, the fulltime college student and part time erotic dancer made over $3,345 in one night. That’s over $200 an hour in tips alone.
It’s not hard to fathom that a successful stripper in South Florida could be driving around with a large amount of cash after working all week, and may even own a few licensed firearms for protection… Unless you’re a Miami-Dade police officer.
Despite no charges being filed against Batista, the department decided to keep her money because they argued it was profits from selling codeine and hash oil. Defense lawyers asserted that the glitter-covered bills were earnings from the strip club where Batista worked and even had a witness that confirmed the dancer earned “significant cash tips” through her erotic dancing.
After hearing the case a judge agreed with Batista’s lawyers and ordered the police to return the $19,934 they seized during her arrest as well as legal fees. Sometimes the good guys do win.
Via reason.com
Image: Nicole Aniston in Lined Up And Laid Out by Brazzers
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