U.S. agents wrecked business with mistaken porn raid

[mongo]

U.S. agents wrecked business with mistaken porn raid
November 29, 2005
BY TONI LOCY

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration asked the Supreme Court Monday to throw out a lawsuit that seeks to hold federal agents responsible for driving an upstate New York computer software company out of business when the owner's husband was mistakenly targeted in a child pornography investigation.

<snip>

What the agents didn't know was that Hallock had been the victim of identity theft only a few months before, his business credit card stolen and used to set up the Web site.

The agents seized computers, software design files, software programming codes, client files and other material -- all of which belonged to Ferncliff Associates, a computer software company owned by Hallock's wife, Susan, through which Richard Hallock developed and sold software.

Several months later, the investigation was closed and no charges were brought against Richard Hallock. When the Hallocks' computers were returned, the equipment was damaged beyond repair and they were forced to close Ferncliff Associates.

more http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-seizure29.html

Nice. You don't ever have to be charged with a crime for the FBI to ruin your life.

[acmavm]

1. Lovely, this administration believes it's okey dokey to wreck countries,

companies, and lives all it its pursuit of supreme incompetence.

[The White Tree]

8. It's like they rewrote the Declaration of Inderpendence.

In Bush-world apparantly you are not entitled to life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness unless you are a Christian Evangelist.

[redqueen]

2. Um... accountability?

Do they even know what that means? Or do they just vomit it out to impress the idiot sheeple?

[mongo]

7. vomit it out gets my vote n/t

[sui generis]

3. I remember this was what the IRS used to destroy people

they would claim they were "acting on the best information available" and then would walk in and destroy somebody, sell off their family heirlooms, get them fired, unemployable, and not have to pay a penny in compensation.

HOWEVER. When you are the FBI (or any other agency of government) you had better fucking well have exactly the information required, or be prepared to face the consequences.

As a citizen if I had information that my neighbor had a gun and was planning to kill me the next time he rang my doorbell and I acted on that information "in self defense" and then claimed it was the best information available, I would still have to pay.

Supreme Court, you had better wake up. The "best information" argument does not hold water.

[stop the bleeding]

4. wrecking someone's life is small beans compared to Iraq

these guys have found something that they are good at.

[Marnieworld]

5. Amazing

It's amazing that the FBI would be so incompetent but more amazing that the Bush Administration would stand in the way, take steps to prevent, this family from getting some sort of compensation. It's insane what they work at. It's like saying, "and P.S.-Fuck you."

[Double T]

6. bush's government NEVER takes any responsibility for anything.......

specially when it comes to destruction.

[Karenina]

10. THAT is the TRUTH

The WHOLE UNVARNISHED TRUTH, and nothing but the TRUTH.

[orwell]

9. The Bush Cabal

The champions of small business everywhere. Let freedom ring!