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DOJ orders destruction of forfeiture documents

They tell me this memo is real. It's not clear to me what our government is up to with this, but wiser minds than mine tell me the Department of Justice simply realized these training manuals and reference guides are too helpful to the defense so they intend to reclassify them as "internal documents", protecting them from public scrutiny and, one assumes, legal discovery.

Dear Depository Librarian:

The Department of Justice has asked the Superintendent of Documents to instruct depository libraries to destroy all copies of the materials listed below. Please withdraw these materials immediately and destroy them by any means to prevent disclosure of their contents. The Department of Justice has determined that these materials are for internal use only.

Documents to be removed and destroyed:

Title: Civil and Criminal Forfeiture Procedure
Class: J 1.2:C 49/17
Item no: 0717
Shipping list: 2004-0276-M
Shipping list date: May 7, 2004

Title: Select Criminal Forfeiture Forms
Class: J 1.2:F 76/8
Item no.: 0717
Shipping list: 2004-0038-P
Shipping list date: December 12, 2003

Title: Select Federal Asset Forfeiture Statutes
Class: J 1.2:AS 7/2/2004
Item no.: 0717
Shipping list no.: 2004-0077-P
Shipping list date: February 5, 2004

Title: Asset forfeiture and money laundering resource directory
Class: J 1.89/3:M 74/2004
Item no.: 0717 A 11
Shipping list no. 2004-0120-P
Shipping list date: March 24, 2004

Title: Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act of 2000 (CAFRA), PL no.
106-185, 114 Stat. 202 (2000)
Class: J 1.2:C 49/16
Item no: 0717
Shipping list no.: 2000-0367-P
Shipping list date: September 23, 2000


Both GPO and the U.S. Department of Justice regret any inconvenience
resulting from this request and we appreciate your cooperation.

Sincerely,

JUDITH C. RUSSELL
Superintendent of Documents

Makes you wonder what they have to hide.

These laws are primarily being used against drug defendants at the present time, but don't think you're safe just because you don't use drugs. The civil forfeiture laws are increasingly being stretched to include other classes of crime. At this rate, five years from now they could be taking your car for unpaid parking tickets.