Feds not liable for truck damaged during botched drug sting
A federal court has ruled that the Drug Enforcement Agency does not have to pay a truck owner whose vehicle they commandeered in a botched drug sting operation – without his knowledge or permission – in which the agency’s confidential informant driver was shot dead and the truck was damaged.
Says truck owner Craig Patty: “I took the federal government to court and lost. They refused to pay for my truck that was shot up and damaged because of their operation which I knew nothing about.” He says that the insurance company wouldn’t pay for damages either because it involved a criminal action. “It’s in the fine print,” he says.
“Everybody is shocked at this kind of ruling [from the federal court] and just appalled that the government has the ability to use a private citizen’s personal property without their consent and that it can withstand judicial scrutiny,” says Patty’s co-counsel, attorney Fred Shepherd.
The complex story, pieced together from trial documents and interviews, offers a view of a federal agency that apparently did not have a handle on its own operations, disregarded Constitutional law – according to the truck owner’s lawyers – and then asked the courts to seal documents because it might reveal confidential information about their failed operation.
Filed under: General Problems
Since when does the government, DEA or crooked judges ever do the right thing? Like they can’t afford to pay the damages, meanwhile, DEA agents who FAILED drug tests are still on the job. Something wrong here?
Again, just more proof that our governments gestapo tactics are stealing our freedom. If we don’t reign in these idiots soon we will have absolutely no rights at all anymore. The worst part of all this crap is that the truck owner had to pay taxes when he purchased the truck, he had to buy license plates, permits and depending on where he’s from, more than likely a road tax as well. It’s truly our tax dollars hard at work, but who are they working for?
Why isn’t law enforcement in this country responsible for thier actions? They can do what ever the HELL they want without any repercussions. They can steal what ever they need and not go to prison. Finally they can KILL anyone they want to without any reason at all. So much for the “Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave”. Well in my home, WE DON’T SHIT WHERE WE EAT!!!
WHY? Because this is NOT a Democracy anymore. This is a dictatorship! Fascism at it’s finest. WE THE PEOPLE do not count or matter! Only the GODS of the USA who do as they please, break the Constitution and laws they created have ANY say in how this country is run. I’m wondering if voting in this country is even REAL. IMO, they put who they want in office, not who we vote in!
Mike…one small correction…The United States of America has never been a Democracy. It was established as a Constitutional Representative Republic. A true Democracy is one of the worst kinds of government because the minority constituency, in any issue or dispute, is afforded no real voice and no protection against what is held as important to the majority side on any given issue. Our government was founded on a basic set of rules that we call a Constitution; it is the supreme arbiter in any issue. In a simplistic sense, the people would elect one individual from within a geographically designated area to represent them and their interests in the halls of government. So, if you were to say, “Why? Because this is NOT a Representative Republic anymore”, then I would most whole heartedly agree.
The present system, in terms of operation, is corrupt as Hell. It bears little resemblance to what the Founders envisioned when they created this Great American Experiment in Liberty. The Transportation Business owner was most certainly aggrieved by the State in this issue. A reasonable individual’s reading of the Bill of Rights would conclude that the owner’s 4th, 5th and possibly 7th Amendment rights were violated by the State in this matter and the State is liable for the damages as put forth by the plaintiff, imoho.
Has this become the new career ideal? DEA is the only law-enforcement agency that hires high-school graduates. Other agencies want 2 or 4 years of university-level studies, and/or training in military specialty schools, but not DEA. Where else can one get a job that takes minimal education, allows one to take drugs on the job, carry a gun, arrest people, and destroy people’s property without owing any money for the damages?
Well said!