VLVL2 (15): Innocent Till Proven Guilty

[Dave Monroe]

   "'What about "innocent till proven guilty"?'
   "'That was another planet, think they used to call
it America, long time ago, before the guting of the
Fourth Amendment.  You were automatically guilty the
minute they found that marijuana was growing on your
land.'
   "'Wait--I wasn't growin' nothin'.'
   "'They say you were.  Duly sworn officers of the
law, wearing uniforms, packing guns, bound to uphold
the Constitution, you think men like that would lie?'
   "'Glad you're not charging any money for this....'"
(VL, Ch. 15, p. 360)


"innocent till proven guilty"

p. 360 "What about 'innocent until proven guilty'?"
"That was another planet, think they used to call it
America, long time ago, before the gutting of the
Fourth Amendment. You were automatically guilty the
minute they found that marijuana growing on your
land."   Pynchon is obviously deeply pissed by this
shit (as well he might be); it makes a powerful point
in his argument that Big Brother and the Fascists have
won. "Another planet" echoes the allegorical
conversation between Zoyd and Vond on p. 300.

p. 360 "Y-You mean...life isn't Vegas?"    A very
funny line, though (in context) rather ominous as
well.

http://www.mindspring.com/~shadow88/chapter15.htm


"another planet"

http://www.davehome99.freeserve.co.uk/another_girl_another_planet.html


"the Fourth Amendment"

Article [IV.]

The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable
searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no
warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause,
supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly
describing the place to be searched, and the persons
or things to be seized.

http://www.house.gov/Constitution/Amend.html

http://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/constitution.billofrights.html

http://www.archives.gov/national_archives_experience/bill_of_rights_transcript.html

And see as well ...

http://www.gpoaccess.gov/constitution/pdf/con015.pdf

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment04/


"automatically guilty"

Cf. original sin, preterition ...

Edwin Meese III

"You don't have many suspects who are innocent of a
crime. That's contradictory. If a person is innocent
of a crime, then he is not a suspect."

-- U.S. News and World Report, 10/14/85

http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/usa/edwin-meese/

21 USC Sec. 853 01/22/02

TITLE 21 - FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER 13 - DRUG ABUSE PREVENTION AND CONTROL
SUBCHAPTER I - CONTROL AND ENFORCEMENT
Part D - Offenses and Penalties

Sec. 853. Criminal forfeitures

(a) Property subject to criminal forfeiture Any person
convicted of a violation of this subchapter or
subchapter II of this chapter punishable by
imprisonment for more than one year shall forfeit to
the United States, irrespective of any provision of
State law -

(1) any property constituting, or derived from, any
proceeds the person obtained, directly or indirectly,
as the result of such violation;

(2) any of the person's property used, or intended to
be used, in any manner or part, to commit, or to
facilitate the commission of, such violation; and 

(3) in the case of a person convicted of engaging in a
continuing criminal enterprise in violation of section
848 of this title, the person shall forfeit, in
addition to any property described in paragraph (1) or
(2), any of his interest in, claims against, and
property or contractual rights affording a source of
control over, the continuing criminal enterprise. The
court, in imposing sentence on such person, shall
order, in addition to any other sentence imposed
pursuant to this subchapter or subchapter II of this
chapter, that the person forfeit to the United States
all property described in this subsection. In lieu of
a fine otherwise authorized by this part, a defendant
who derives profits or other proceeds from an offense
may be fined not more than twice the gross profits or
other proceeds.

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/csa/853.htm

http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/csa.html


	
		
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