The U.S. Supreme Court could soon make the process by which states confiscate property used in a crime, even if it was used tangentially, much more difficult for states like Pennsylvania. Some state civil asset forfeiture laws allow police to take cash, cars or real estate, even without proof of a crime.
For 90.5 WESA's The Confluence, a panel weighs in on what more regulation around civil asset forfeiture could mean for investigations and the rights of those whose property gets taken.
- Angela Erickson, quantitative research analyst, who previously worked with the Institute of Justice and has written extensively on the topic;
- Sgt. Tulio Tourinho, officer with the Louisville Metro Police Department, veteran of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and affiliated with the Law Enforcement Action Partnership; and
- David Harris, University of Pittsburgh law professor, host of the Criminal Injustice podcast and legal analyst for 90.5 WESA.
Elsewhere in the program, the nonprofit supporting economic development in southwestern Pennsylvania got a new leader a little more than a year ago.
Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, says there's lots to be done now that her work trying to lure Amazon is over.
And Pittsburgh is no stranger to unconventional concert venues, but a limestone mine is pushing that relationship to new terrain.
WESA’s Bill O’Driscoll takes a look (and a listen) to Carnegie Mellon University’s second installment of the “Subsurface” art series.
The Confluence, where the news comes together, is 90.5 WESA’s daily news program. Tune in weekdays at 9 a.m. to hear newsmakers and innovators join veteran journalist Kevin Gavin, taking an in-depth look at stories important to the Pittsburgh region. Find more episodes of The Confluence here.
