Newsgroups: misc.legal,alt.drugs,talk.politics.drugs,alt.society.civil-liberty,alt.politics.usa.constitution
Subject: Supreme Court do rule on zero tolerence and civil forfeiture
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 22:15:15 GMT

According to a UPI article from last week:

	"WASHINGTON (UPI) -- The Supreme Court Friday agreed to decide if the
8th Amendment's prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment and
excessive fines can apply to the government in civil forfeiture cases.
	The court agreed to decide if the government's seizure of a South
Dakota convict's mobile home and business -- because they were used to
facilitate illegal drug activity -- can be challenged. ..."

The defendent pled guilty to selling two grams of cocaine, so the
issue is proportionality.

The case is 92-6073, _Richard Lyle Austin vs. United States_