State law should have protected Marine veteran Stephen Lara during a traffic stop outside Reno, Nevada. But officers followed different rules when they opened his trunk and found a backpack full of cash.
Looking for a payday, the Nevada State Police seized the money without arresting Lara or accusing him of a crime. The government then tried to keep the money permanently, using a trick to sidestep the Nevada legislature. A court ruling on Jan. 10 restored order.
In a win for property rights, a judge in Washoe County, Nevada, held that state police must follow state law. They cannot set aside legislative requirements just because they see a chance for profit.
This should be obvious. But law enforcement agencies from coast to coast routinely skirt their state laws in a hunt for cash. Lara’s case should put everyone on notice.
