An Asset Forfeiture PR Nightmare

  An Oklahoma case of asset forfeiture has come to the national spotlight this week, and it's further damaging the reputation of the state's law enforcement and prosecutors. The Muskogee Politico recounts the plight of a local ministry, a gospel music artist, and a missionary fundraiser.

 "Muskogee DA Drops Forfeiture Case Against Christian Orphanage, Church, and Band 

Muskogee, Okla.—This afternoon, Muskogee, Oklahoma, District Attorney Orvil Loge indicated that his office was officially dropping all charges against Eh Wah, a Burmese refugee he had charged with possession of drug proceeds [background stories from the Institute for Justice and the Washington Post]. He also indicated that he would drop the civil forfeiture and immediately return the money Muskogee law enforcement officials took from a group of Karen Christian refugees from Burma and Thailand. 

When Is Deadly Force Warranted

  This is why you don't use deadly force to respond to the "possibility" of an armed individual.

  For the use of deadly force to be justified you must not only believe that you or others are in danger of severe injury or death, you must be able to articulate why you believed this. This articulation must present a reasonable belief others would share given the same circumstances.

  I shuddered when I read this article as I vividly remember the exact same scenario playing out again and again in academy training with the Norman Police Department. The only difference was the character playing the citizen always had a gun and always attempted to use it. The only variation was how long you waited before you used deadly force to end the threat.