ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—New Mexicans ended civil forfeiture this summer, or so they thought. Despite passing landmark legislation outlawing the use of civil forfeiture statewide, cities across the state are ignoring the law and continue to seize and keep individual’s property without convicting them of a crime. Now, a lawsuit filed today by a bipartisan pair of New Mexico State Senators seeks to shut down the city’s illegal civil forfeiture program once and for all. READ MORE
Senator Lisa Torraco, a Republican representing Bernalillo County, was the initial sponsor for the Forfeiture Reform Law in the State Senate. She worked behind the scenes to secure support for the bill among her colleagues. And, when the bill was first presented on the floor of the Senate, it was presented in association with her name. READ MORE
ALBUQUERQUE (CN) — A federal judge refused Albuquerque’s request to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the city “polices for profit” by seizing vehicles for civil offenses.
The civil forfeiture program has been just one aspect of unpopular police actions in Albuquerque. The program drew attention in 2014 through a video of the Santa Fe Vehicle Forfeiture Conference, in which attorneys discussed the profitability of the practice. READ MORE
BY MATTHEW REISEN / JOURNAL STAFF WRITER / Published: Thursday, July 25th, 2019 at 6:55pm
