WATCH: John Oliver slams Philly cops' civil forfeiture use
Civil forfeiture laws are the latest political topic to get the skewer from John Oliver, with the Last Week Tonight host saying that "legalized robbery by law enforcement" only makes cops the "anti-Spiderman." And, no, Philly didn't escape his wrath.
Civil forfeiture laws are the latest political topic to get the skewer from John Oliver, with the Last Week Tonight host saying that "legalized robbery by law enforcement" only makes cops the "anti-Spiderman." And, no, Philly didn't escape his wrath.
"These civil forfeiture laws have warped law enforcement priorities and perception," Oliver said about 11:30 into his rant. "And nowhere is that more clear than Philadelphia."
From there, Oliver launches into some stats that recently have become infamous among anti-civil forfeiture activists, including news that Philly police seized more than 3,000 vehicles and 1,000 houses over a 10-year period under current laws.
"Usually when someone describes something taking 3,000 vehicles and 1,000 houses, they're talking about a f---ing hurricane," Oliver said.
Also discussed is the case of Christos and Markella Sourovelis, who lost their home after police arrested their son for heroin possession and suspected sale. Via CNN:
The nightmare began when police showed up at the house and arrested their 22-year-old son, Yianni, on drug charges -- $40 worth of heroin. Authorities say he was selling drugs out of the home. The Sourvelises say they had no knowledge of any involvement their son might have had with drugs.
A month-and-a-half later police came back -- this time to seize their house, forcing the Sourvelises and their children out on the street that day. Authorities came with the electric company in tow to turn off the power and even began locking the doors with screws, the Sourvelises say. Authorities won't comment on the exact circumstances because of pending litigation regarding the case.
Additionally, the first chance the Sourovelis family got to defend themselves ended with a meeting with a prosecutor in a Philly courtroom—not a judge. Which, for Oliver, only makes him wonder when a courtroom can no longer be considered a courtroom.
"If you take all the doctors out of a hospital and replace them with otters, it is no longer a hospital," he said.
And, as it turns out, Oliver might be correct. Last month, the Institute for Justice filed a lawsuit accusing the city's forfeiture practices of violating the law. Still, though, if nothing comes out of that lawsuit, Oliver still has some advice.
"We need to reform our network cop dramas to make them a lot more representative of what is really happening."