Part one of investigative reporter Phil Cross’ story on Civil asset forfeiture in Oklahoma. Currently law enforcement agencies fatten themselves off of the property of citizens based upon suspicion and innuendo. I recall the sign of a protestor we met on the steps of the Cleveland County Courthouse, “r u cops or robbers?” A very good question indeed.

Phil’s story, which will also air as a thirty minute special on Friday, features the case of the Funky Munky in McAlester. In that situation, the District 18 Drug Task Force, illegally seized over a hundred thousand dollars in cash (taken from the business and personal bank accounts of the proprietors), without a trace of any evidence of illegal activity. You can read about how the agents intimidated, bullied, and eventually stole from that business here: