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Prosecutors, advocates and legal groups press Judiciary Committee on civil asset‑forfeiture reforms
Summary
District attorneys, civil‑liberties groups and legal organizations gave competing testimony about how seized forfeiture funds are used, recommended raising burdens of proof, minimum thresholds and greater transparency and recommended directing forfeiture proceeds to the general fund rather than automatic local law‑enforcement accounts.
The Joint Committee on the Judiciary heard competing testimony on multiple bills to reform civil asset forfeiture. Witnesses ranged from district attorneys who defended current practices to civil‑liberties organizations, the Boston Bar Association and the Institute for Justice, which urged higher burdens of proof, clearer transparency and restrictions on federal equitable‑sharing arrangements.
Essex County District Attorney Paul Tucker said his office uses forfeiture proceeds for protracted investigations, to fund expert witnesses and to support community programs…
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