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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 5 p.m. PT: A big fat tip or tainted drug money? Struggling Minnesota waitress Stacy Knutson said it’s the former; Moorhead, Minn., police apparently believed it was the latter.
The wad of cash was left in a to-go box on a table at the Moorhead Fryin’ Pan restaurant where Knutson works. Knutson said she followed the customer out to the parking lot to give back what she thought were leftovers, but the customer said, “No, I am good; you keep it,” according a story Wednesday in The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead.
Knutson went back inside the restaurant, peeked inside the box and to her astonishment found $12,000 in cash rolled up in rubber bands.
Like a dutiful citizen, she called police, who seized the money and reportedly told her she would get it back if no one claimed it in 60 days. But when that time period passed, she said police told her she still couldn’t get the money because it was part of a drug investigation. Apparently it didn’t pass the sniff test, because police said the money had a strong odor of marijuana.
Knutson filed a lawsuit in Clay County District Court, claiming the cash is rightfully hers.
On Thursday, her attorney, Craig Richie, said the County Attorney's Office and the Moorhead Police Department had agreed to let her keep all the money.
“We argued that most money that you carry in your pocket has drug residue on it,” Richie told CBS station WCCO. “She could’ve kept the money and nobody would’ve known. But she said, ‘No, I’m going to do the right thing.’ So she called police and now integrity has now prevailed.”
Richie told Reuters that folks around Moorhead knew that Knutson and her husband were having financial problems raising their five children. He told the news service that he believed the money was intended as a gift to the family.
"Stacy is a very religious woman and this is the will of God," he said.
Read the initial story in The Forum here and a follow-up story here.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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What law would she have broken if she kept her mouth shut?
Remind me not to call the police when someone gives me a sack of cash.
Cops are getting more dishonest by the day. Instead of law enforcement, cops have become revenue enhancer for their municipality at best or themselves at worst.
Under the guise of war on crimes, war on drugs, and war on terrorism, law enforcement can confiscate anything they claim has been used in furtherance of crime, drugs, or terrorism.
When people want a Big Government to protect them, they don't realize the monster can turn against them, too.
Proving COPS are the biggest thieves!! To steal the money from a struggling waitresses. SHAME ON THEM SHAME SHAME SHAME
Technically not stolen ... yet. It's been logged as evidence, meaning it may be used in a trial at some point. Nothing says she won't get it back once the investigation is done. I'd agree with you if the cops had said "Money? What money?". Now that its a news item, I suspect she'll get the money eventually, but she may have to wait a long time. That would be too bad.
Sad. When I was a kid, parents and other adults told me that police were our friends and could be trusted. I won't be passing this lesson on to my kids, as evidence has shown it to be untrue.
Why do you think they are called pigs.... always at the throff eating someone Else's food.
greedy crooked people in positions of authority
Um...yea...Like someone really leaves a box with $12,000 in it on a table and then refuses to take it back when its returned to them...I smell something and it's not the marijuana reek from the bills. More like her sh*t story.
If that person had told her to keep the money, then why did she call the cops, hmmm? Simple little question.
Are you kidding? The money "smells" like marijuana?
Sue the pants off 'em!
Because thats what you are supposed to do when you find a large amount of cash.
Since they can't prove who the money came from, how can it be part of a drug investigation? Was the money marked? If not, the money should go back to the woman who did everything by the book.
Unfortunately, people who try to do the right thing get screwed or treated poorly by the police. Some police are great...some are jerks.
Just who, exactly, are the cops investigating? Do they have any "suspects"? No. Money probably never made it back to impound. Probably got spent on hookers and drugs.
The only way I can think that the cops would have any ties to the money is if it was used undercover as buy money. Meaning they have a chain of command on the serial numbers. Then they should be able to simply prove it. And even then the whole amount would not be the same serials. As drug dealers have more than one buyer.
All money has trace amounts of drugs on it. They can even pull up trace Cocaine and Meth on money. Complete BS by the Police on this one. And yes the lady did the right thing. Guess it goes to show that no good deed goes unpunished. Karma does strange things though.
I agree she did the right thing in notifying the police but the money is hers. Unless she is part of the investigation there is no reason for the police to hold on to the money. I'll bet it vanishes from the evidence locker.
I knew I left that money somewhere!
Why not cut her a police department check, and when the investigation is completed, they can keep it?
The customer says "You can keep it", so what does she do: She calls the police and turns it over to them.
Why because She is not required to. The police tell her that she can get the money back after sixty days and when she attempts to she is told that it smelled like marijuana and is part of a drug investigation....Hollywoods' best writers couldn't come up with a more convoluted story.
IF and WHEN she gets it back, the IRS will be next in line to take half of it.
Most US Currency has traces of Cocaine on it. I would not be suprised if there were traces of marajuana either. The trace of drugs is spread from one note to the next in banks when it is sorted and counted.
I would like to see if the cops would hold a 5# bucket of Sh*t as evidence if it had a trace of marajuana.
I got chastised by another vine user for posting the following. How do you guys vote on that assertion?
TO: Conspiricist-52 who wrote:
Smartest suggestion I've ever seen!
But I think we all pretty much have the idea that the cops want the money, otherwise this wouldn't be a "story".
Someone with power needs to get involved to see that this lady is treated right.
Both sound dirty. I think she originally at least thought it wasn't for her or she wouldn't have called the cops. I hope they follow up after the 'investigation' is complete and/or lawsuit gets heard.
Kragg...seriously...when you are given a big tip you call the corrupt police who take it from you?? How many of you think this money was actually entered into evidence?
Why don't they just give her a clean $12,000 and keep the "tainted" $12,000 for their "investigation"?
If it is drug money it will be confiscated by the dept., and if it is not it would just be returned to her anyway.
A classic case where cops stand only to gain(and attempt to), and the law-abiding citizen can only loose.
Something similar happened to me. I found several money orders that had been unsigned and still had the stubs attached. All I would have had to do was sign them and cash them. I turned them in to the police. When I asked about them 60 days later, I was told that they were destroyed per Western Union's orders, and I could not claim them. They did not even thank me for being an honest citizen and actually treated me like I was some kind of scammer for trying to claim them. joeyfromcali is correct about all money being ccontaminated with drug traces.
to the police everything smells like marijuana
The sarge looked at the money and said boys this smells like marijuana, party at my house tonight. Needless to say the money is up in smoke.
Give her back the money, she did what any honest citizen should do but if this is what an upstanding citizen can expect I would not blame anyone from not reporting an incident like this ...
Gee...12k buys a lot of donuts for the guys. Maybe they will use a part of the cash to buy a bulk lot of pepper spray is case the local college kids attend a protest. This country has too many cops and is slowly turning into a police state. Hay... get a traffic ticket and get a free full body and cavity search. Crime is way down and the experts cannot point to better policing as the cause.
"Like a dutiful citizen, she called police, who seized the money and reportedly told her she would get it back if no one claimed it in 60 days."
More like a typical brain-washed cow who still believes that we must all do the "right thing". The right thing would be to squirrel that dough away as fast as you can and say nothin' to nobody.
Does this mean cops can walk into any bank and if they smell marijuana they can confiscate all the money there for a "drug investigation" ? What a way to generate revenue !
Other people have been given big tips and not turned them into the police. Rather they rejoiced in their good fortune and you saw it on the newscast the next day. I could see her calling police if she truly "found" it, but the man said you keep it, so it was a tip. Report it as income, pay taxes and the rest is all hers.
Retired Police Capt. here, says first, she should not of called the police. Second, since she did and the 60 days is up, the money is hers. Smell of marijuana could be on any money transacted from anywhere.
She's never going to see a dime of that money. Cops are the biggest thiefs and constant liers on the street. They want the money for themselves so they can buy off budget toys for the dept. They'd say it smelled like marijuana just to make an excuse to sieze it even if they had to keep it in a drug locker with someone else's dope just to get the smell on it. She lost that money the second a cop got their thieving hands on it.
@Taxman (1.24)
Seriously man... what did you think your would be able to do with the money orders......reclaim them, and fill them out as you seen fit and cash them in....really.
Well there are some very naive folks in the world that don't follow the news and aren't aware of the dirty business of asset forfeiture. Would I personally turn over a large amount of money to the police if I found it? Not in a million years.
Drug contamination is correct. I think 4 out of 5 bills have trace amounts of cocaine. It doesn't take a drug connection. It can be from sorting, ATMs etc. The one study I saw said marijuana was present on 25%. The cops are just being their usual arrogant selves in not helping by giving her other funds and acting like she did something wrong, when all she did is what she thought was the honest thing to do. So much for being straight with those that "protect and serve" us. One can only hope she sues for damages and attorney fees and every other thing she can think of and wins.
So, did she find it or was she given it like she's claiming? If she found it, she did the right thing. If she was told to keep it by the person who left it, as she claims and still turned it in, then she's an idiot.
Excellent lesson kiddies. You see, the Police are our friends and you should always try to be honest and upstanding just like them.
In other words we spent it all tuff luck lady.
Doesn't reality suck... you know... the reality that hits you when you realize that the nice policeman who visited your elementary school class when you were little... isn't the same cop that roams the streets.
I hope this woman win in her lawsuit. There was a study that found that mostly all money circulating in the public have traces have illegal drugs on them. Therefore what the police are holding could be just hard working money from a person who could afford to give a large sum for tip. The police seems very dishonest here and I put you they share this money up in the department among themselves. She also did a foolish thing by turning the money in since the person told her it is for her and since the person never came back for the money. I hope she wins the lawsuit. There are more good people in this world than they are bad people, and these police sounds crooked.
Leiya! Shame!!! I just knew you had it all along!!! *LOL!*
But seriously, if it's part of an investigation, why would you want to be involved? That wouldn't have been smart--I don't understand why this woman would want to get herself in the middle of a narcotics' investigation.
Too late, dishonest jerks - the press already got their hands on it, and you'll be ridiculed forever now. Any educated officer in this country knows that most money has trace amounts of drugs on it:
snopes.com/business/money/cocaine.asp
She done the right thing by following procedure and to protect her intrest in case of something fishey. After 60 days she should have been handed the cash..the police should be ashamed...its impossible to prove the history of the money. The crappy thing is now she made herself noticed by the IRS and will most likely get slapped with 25% in taxes and that is 10%more than Mittens Has to pay on the money he gets for not having a job...sad but true..
Pjam09 and several others had the right idea: Give the nice lady 12,000 "fresh" dollars, or a nice Police department check, and they can keep the "cashnabis" and sniff it till the sun goes down. The IRS may attempt to get their share, but if this family is really in bad financial shape, the IRS cut won't be too much.
However: Don't be too quick to condemn the cops. If there are traces of pot on the money it is only reasonable to investigate. Most cops are honest, and take a dim view of crime. Most cops are also government employees ruled by "officials" appointed to their jobs, many times without prior police experience. Those higher ups that meet that description do their job about as efficiently as any government official. The Police department "stealing" that woman's found money is not the problem here. The problem is that here is another case of some numbnutz public official treating an honest citizen disrespectfully. The cops on patrol are usually great men and women who try to weed through a bewildering mess of "rights" for criminals and do their jobs.
As has been suggested for the last 50 years: If you get in trouble and don't want to call the cops....call a drug dealer. I'm sure they'll fix you right up. No pun intended.
Like a dutiful citizen, she called police, who seized the money and reportedly told her she would get it back if no one claimed it in 60 days. But when that time period passed, she said police told her she still couldn’t get the money because it was part of a drug investigation. Apparently it didn’t pass the sniff test, because police said the money had a strong odor of marijuana.
^^^^^
It may not passed the sniff test, but I'm sure it's going to make it's way into the pockets of some of these officers.
What an idiot she was. I would have kept my mouth shut and kept the money. The man gave it to her, so there was no need to hand it over to corrupt police and police departments.
and if we go back and finish reading the story, you will find the police have decided to give it back to her. Ergo, some of us jumped into the pool before checking it's depth, and discovered it is only ankle deep.
Said Ray Setzer without a hint of sarcasm!! LOL
Good for her! She stood her ground and got it back. I hate it when people are punished for doing the right thing. It's going to start "teaching" us to do the wrong this instead in the future, so I'm glad that it worked out for her in the end! :)
Well deserved
Well, the story has a happy ending after all. The cops are letting her keep the dough.
She's lucky she doesn't have to pay a lawyer any fees for being involved.
Good for her ...... Justice prevails....
Jon-2149156-
She got the money, not after the sixty day waiting period, but after she was forced to sue the police who did not follow procedure, by claiming the money was tainted. Law enforcement agencies can do just about whatever they want, and WE ALLOW it to happen. It is people like this waitress who did NOT allow it to happen.
Sad thing is, she had to hire a lawyer to get the money for her. Not sure what the agreement was between her and her lawyer, but lawyers are not inexpensive, and I can EASILY see a lawyer charging near as much as the 12k to get the money for her - not that that probably happened. My point is, if we don't stand up for our rights, and bend over for the authorities just because they say something is as they say it is, we are condeming ourselves to fully becoming a policed society where we have no more rights or freedoms.
And now the scary part for the waitress because she did the right thing and this was made public -
She now stands a good chance of being paid an unfriendly visit by whoever left his stash behind
Money Stinks and police use this as an excuse for probable cause.
Did her attorney get to keep half of the twelve thousand dollars???
Minnesota, land of cold noses and warm hearts.
I just want to say that not every cop or police department is like this. I know a lot of very good cops that put their lives in danger everyday to make sure we are all safe. We cannot stereo type. Being a police officer is just like any other job in that one department or one cop does not make them all good, or bad. Each department and each cop is different.
I do think she did the right thing by letting them know about the money, but I think now it should be hers. For whatever reason those people chose to give it to her. If I had an extra wad of cash and seen someone struggling and I felt they deserved it, I'd give it to them and not tell anyone.
I used to tend bar and had a customer that would regularly leave me a rolled up hundred dollar bill as a tip. He would come out of the bathroom at the end of the night and throw it on the bar and walk out the door. I always had to wipe up white powdery residue that come off the bill. Should I have given that money to the cops?
LMAO..since there was a sniff test on the money and it smelled like pot she can't keep the money..any dollar bill in anyones wallet will have that smell ( even Obama's wallet)!
Glad she can keep the money.
Leave it to some gung-ho egotistical cop to ruin a good deed between one citizen to another. The police involved in this attempted rip-off never had any intention of returning this money. They used the first excuse that popped in their heads for not returning the money......it smelled like Marijuana. I am glad that this woman had the integrity to turn the money in. I am also glad that she had the guts to take the city and the police to court. Maybe this will teach Moorehead, Minnesota to discontinue creating policy as they go along. This woman went into the process with good intentions. What if this had been someone's life savings mistakenly left at the table? This is why she called the police. It all worked out in the end it is just a shame she had to take the city to court. Oh, BTW.......if a person is carrying more than $10,000 in cash with no proof of where the money came from or what it is to be used for, that money can be confiscated by law enforcement on suspicion purchasing drugs. I read several years back that a man who owned a gardening business was going to Mexico to purchase legal plants, flowers, trees and shrubs. The border patrol searched him and his car while he was crossing the border into Mexico. Of course they discovered the man's money and confiscated it. I do not even think they gave him a receipt for the $10,000 they confiscated. Of course this was nearly every penny the gardener owned. This story may still be able to be found on google. I know almost identical stories can be found and these stories will outrage most American citizens that thought they had rights.
"On Thursday, her attorney, Craig Richie, said the County Attorney's Office and the Moorhead Police Department had agreed to let her keep all the money."
Funny how having the public made aware of the cops robbing a citizen causes them to change their minds.
Turn on a light and the cockroaches can't scatter fast enough. I hope she still sues their pants off and they all lose their jobs, but she sounds too nice to do that.
Money is nearly always contaminated with something and what would it prove? And who would you believe?
This honest law abiding citizen just got raped by the system.
She lost almost half because dishonest cops had plans for their own use of that money.
I'll have to agree with many of the posts, that we no longer live in Mayberry, and Andy is no longer our sheriff.
If only we could just click our heels and return to Kansas!
Progress isn't always a good thing.
This is her fault. I was a server for years and I would never think of telling the pigs. They have proven time and time again that most are incompetant, dishonest, and out to harass the general public. To me, she should have been extremely thankfull to this man who cares he sold drugs. And she could have gotten him in trouble telling on him. He gave it to her, she should have accepted gratefully. The only reason drug dealers have a bad rap is because drugs are illegal therefore they HAVE to use force to protect their product. This so called "war on drugs" is a joke. Who is to tell me what I can put in MY BODY! no one. Legalize
ashp, it's not what you do with "your body" that we are concerned about. It's what you do when you're on drugs that is concerning. I have a druggie in my own family who has been on everything from crack to meth. When it goes that far, they have no soul. They will break into your house, steal from their mother, have sex for money, ignore their babies, and slowly become nothing more than a person in your memory. Thank God it is NOT legal for people to run around like delinquent zombies with no souls. Yet.
About 25 years ago, my old Weed dealer got his money back from the police (after 6 months), when charges didn't stick and no one claimed the money.
Since there were no charges in this case, and Cops still kept her money, I'd conclude that Police Forces have gotten more corrupt in the last 25 years...only now they skim from the top instead of the crooked beat cop getting all the action.
o ya amos? huh, alcohol ruins more families and lives and its legal. more people are killed because of alcohol related incidences not to mention in 50% of violent crimes alcohol plays a part. save the propaganda.
Hell. they get busted selling pills, taking cash to forget tickets, sexual assault and much more where I live.
Isn't this typical government attitude on any level? So nice of them to "allow" her to keep what is rightfully hers, and they believe she should be grateful
As usual American Girl has the dumbest comment in the thread.
Hey, American Girl, you do realize that SOMEONE IN POWER is the perpetrator in this story, right? Stop appealing to authority and face facts: those in power are not benign or beneficial. They're tyrants.
Let me guess, you want Obama to help this lady...because every other post I've seen by you ends in "Obama 2012, herp derp". Totally ignoring Obama is a war criminal for the same reasons Bush is. Totally ignoring torture, warrantless wiretaps, self written search warrents by federal agents, assassination of U.S. citizens w/o so much as judicial review, lying to voters by saying he's quit going after marijuana clinics but instead going after them more in 3 years than Bush did in 8...and the list goes on and on and on...
You cheerlead for tyrants, like most others, and never face the fact they're habitual liars and sociopaths.
AND you want them to help someone they're already victimizing. BRILLIANT! (sarcasm)
RepubliBloods and DemoCrips are in power...which of these criminal gangs do you to "help" this woman?
Don't answer...because the answer is NEITHER if you really want her to get any help.
So...
Doesn't make sense. Either the customer lost it or left it as a tip. It can't be both. If she's such a "religious woman" perhaps she should stop bearing false witness and admit that it was lost money that a pothead forgot was there. She did the right thing, turned it over to police, waited the 60 days, and claimed it when the rightful owner didn't. According to the rules we have in place, that money is now hers.
Does almost all money bear traces of drugs? That's what they say. Does that mean that if you stack up 12 grand it will reek of weed? Not even close. Does money smelling like marijuana mean it has anything to do with a drug investigation? Hardly.
Cracks me up that after all the whining and cop bashing from the fools on here that swore up and down she'd never see that money again, they gave it to her.
Chris,
Is it possible they gave it back BECAUSE of all the "whinning and cop bashing". I'm sure they got word of how pissed 99% of people were in this and other comment boards. They know they have perception problems and 12K (which wasn't theirs to begin with) is a small price to pay to sprinkle a little rose fragrance on the turd they laid.
Had this story not caused such a stong response, I am 99% confident that lady would have never seen her money. You know how roaches scramble when you shine a light on them? Light shone ... 'nuff said.
No, I guarantee you that their decision had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with a bunch of cop bashing commentors on Newsvine. I do agree that the publicity was probably the primary motivator, however my previous post was addressed to those on here claiming it was already spent, or split up among the officers, etc.
I do still believe however that she's full of sh*t when she claims she was told to keep it by the person she tried to return it to. An anonymous donation, left in a box. Rolls of hundreds, twenties, and tens? Give me a break. The Fryn' Pan is not a small little diner. There are a number of waitresses on duty at a time along with a number of busboys cleaning tables. At any time one of them busboys could have cleared that table and snagged that box before she did. So it's highly unlikely it was left there just for her, as she is claiming. She's just a very lucky person.
Disabled Voter - If she did the math according to your tabulation then she is no longer a "law abiding citizen". You can't take legal fees straight off the top of your "wages, tips, and other compensation". Lawyers are notconsidered a pre-tax income adjustment, charitable contribution, etc. even though you do use your wages to pay the "land sharks".
$12000 Tip
- 1800 15% tax
- 4800 Lawyer Fees
$5400 Net
@Kragg
Because that's what you are supposed to do when you find a large amount of cash.
No your supposed to say thank you! that's it. Are we now in a world where we can't do anything without the eapproval of the Officers, Churches, Gov. Can we really not think for ourselves????? If someone give me a cash I say thank you, if I find some cash I keep it, unless I know whose it is example someones wallet or brief case etc.... and yes I would return someones money providing it had verification!!!!!
Typical government lap-dog corporate media.
"Like dutiful government puppets, msnbc staff writes state approved propaganda"
If it's cash, it can't be tracked, don't call the cops. Just don't spend it all in one place and you're good.
Typical government lap-dog corporate media.
"Like dutiful government puppets, m s n b c staff writes state approved propaganda"
If it's cash, it can't be tracked, don't call the cops. Just don't spend it all in one place and you're good.
I firmly believe in "finders keepers, losers weepers". Except she was told to keep it by the customer. I know too many "public servants" who have told me stories about what happens to confiscated cash, so I am under no illusion about cops, DEA, etc, keeping money found at drug busts. I don't understand how calling the cops about this was the right thing to do. If someone gives my cash, I'm keeping it! If I find cash, with no ID, I'm keeping it. If I find cash with ID, I'll contact the person who it belongs to and return it, but not the cops.
Let's take your scenario, and go one step further. She keeps the cash and doesn't report it. What happens if one, or more, of the bills is linked to a bank robbery (via serial nunmbers)? What does she have, now, to stand on, other than 'He left it at my table and said I could keep it'. That's ONE of the reasons you turn in the money, so that YOU aren't linked to any possible criminal activity involving the money. Whether the police handled the situation correctly (certainly a legitimate concern) is a completely separate matter.
Don Kehaawtee;
To answer your question, believe it or not, She could be charged with but, not limited to, Forwarding a criminal enterprise, as a co-conspirator in said enterprise, Money laundering and conspiracy to commit Income tax evasion. All felonies that carry significant prison time. The same thing can happen if you find some drug dealers stash, which has happened many times, and the money is marked. When you spend it, some law enforcement agency will come knocking. In today's world the chances of the money being "clean" is remote. After all, how many people leave a $12000 tip? She did the right thing, it's just a shame she had to hire a lawyer to get it back when she did the right thing. Proof that no good deed goes unpunished.
It's true that most money has drug residue on it, therefore the police could presumably confiscate nearly all our cash money claiming some drug involvement. Even if the $12,000 smelled like pot, so what!!! The lady was honest and how could the police prove who the drug money was connected to unless they where watching that particular drug dealer at the restaurant. So, I say she should keep it. It was God's gift to help her and family.
These particular police are just getting greedy and making any excuses to keep the cash.
I am not anti-police. Notice I call them properly "the police" and not cops. But, that does not mean all police are good and there are not bad ones.
I'm glad the judge saw the difference. The judge's decision sets a good example and precedent for honesty and integrity.
The judge never said a word. The cops returned the money themselves. Most likely once this story hit the air waves. But nice try with the cop bashing.
find another source... yours is broken.
Excerpt of This one was Posted on April 5th, 2012
The law suit was filed and the case was on the docuket, before the police were shamed into returning the money. This was way passed the 60 day time frame they originally quoted the waitress. They had no intention of returning her money. Until after the suit was filed and Litigation was scheduled.
Is there any wonder why more people are finding it less urgent to follow the letter as well as the spirit of the Law?
AMEN
Amen to just being happily retired!!! It agrees with me. Woo hoo!!
I would not turn any money, tip,found or any other to the police. How naive can one be. I'd like to see the files & invesigative reports that would have been generated if the police actually believed the money had any connection to drugs. I'd bet there is none. And who paid for her attorney? The pd should have since they were refusing to return money that was legally hers.
look at this ..she did the "right thing " by calling the police, and she had to pay a lawyer to get the tip money they should have just gave back to her anyway. Just about everyone with any sense knows most money has drug residue on it... INSTEAD the police with their infinite RESOURCES tested the money and made her take this to court to get her tip money, ALL COSTING THE TAXPAYERS MONEY,(paperwork judges clerks......) including her as an obvious taxpayer, what a rip of ALL OF U! The least it cost anyone was her lawyer. GREAT SYSTEM WE HAVE HUNH?
She didn't do the "Right thing". This wasn't money she found on the street. In that instance, yes, she should bring it to the police. But this wasn't the case. It was a tip. She should have just put it in her pocket and said nothing.
Ok, I'm seeing there are some who think she saw the money before she took it to the parking lot. She thought it was just leftovers being taken home when she first asked the customer about the bag. She didn't notice the money until after she went back inside. So, in my opinion (and we all have them), she did the right thing by calling the police in the off chance the customer for some unknown reason put 12K in a to go bag. That does sound like a drug deal. Giving someone left overs from a restaurant is much less inconspicuous than just handing over money. However, the cops shoudn't have said you can have it in 60 days if it's unclaimed. That was their mistake. So, they are kinda screwed it that sense, hence it's why she got it.
Damn, can't spell I meant conspicuous NOT inconspicuous
It's true that most money has drug residue on it, therefore the police could presumably confiscate nearly all our cash money claiming some drug involvement. Even if the $12,000 smelled like pot, so what!!! The lady was honest and how could the police prove who the drug money was connected to unless they where watching that particular drug dealer at the restaurant. So, I say she should keep it. It was God's gift to help her and family.
These particular police are just getting greedy and making any excuses to keep the cash.
I am not anti-police. Notice I call them properly "the police" and not cops. But, that does not mean all police are good and there are not bad ones.
I'm glad the judge saw the difference. The judge's decision sets a good example and precedent for honesty and integrity.
From my perspective, she did a few things tragically wrong:
1.) Why on EARTH would you call the police?
2.) Why, oh why, would you ever believe anything a cop told you? They've already spent that money girl and if you DID win the case, they will suddenly discover that it's "missing"
If she tried to give it back to the customer and they said no I'm good you keep it, what was the purpose of calling the police??!!!
Maybe to find out if the money was real or counterfeit, or perhaps stolen? Wouldn't want to get caught trying to pass funny money, or money traced to a robbery, right? "Honestly, officer, someone left me this $12k as a tip in my restaurant..." How well do you think that would go over, lol.
She was trying to do what she though was right BEING HONEST!
Little did she know (she must be young) that the cops are the real thieves. 60 minutes did a show years ago about how they would make bogus traffic stops and then steal the money or the vehicle or both!
They got them on VIDEO no less. The cops then would go to places like ASPEN for vacations....
Kelly.........sad but true.....the police will likely put the money into their "fund' to help needy children.................what they don't tell you is that it is their own children who are most needy
Proof that police shakedowns aren't just for drugdealers and pimps.
Power begets corruption, police and politicians are shining examples.
So you spend it $20 at a time, where it will never be noticed. I've been called foolish for being too honest, but this is ridiculous. When he said keep it, that means you keep it.
If the boss gave her a raise, would she call the police and say she didn't deserve it?
As the saying goes...no good deed goes unpunished.
If the money had been marked and used as bait in part of a crime or if it was stolen money by it's serial numbers and she had spent it, then she would be looked upon as a suspect of the crimes. She did the right thing by turning it in and making sure the money was clean. It's the police that are doing the wrong thing.
If they want to say it is part of a drug investigation they need to state which investigation and why they think this specific bundle of cash is part of a drug deal/investigation and prove it. If they can't show the person who gave the money to her is being investigated for drug dealing the money goes back to her.
And that is why the money went back to her :)
well on her behalf, dumb people are usually the ones that call the police over about anything
Nice try...you dirty stinking pigs. The money smelled of marijaunna, that's a good one. I have over 20,000.00 dollars in cash on me and I'm not some fuking drug dealer, you A$$HOLES.
Brains or common sense are not required to be a waitress.
It's true that most money has drug residue on it, therefore the police could presumably confiscate nearly all our cash money claiming some drug involvement. Even if the $12,000 smelled like pot, so what!!! The lady was honest and how could the police prove who the drug money was connected to unless they where watching that particular drug dealer at the restaurant. So, I say she should keep it. It was God's gift to help her and family.
These particular police are just getting greedy and making any excuses to keep the cash.
I am not anti-police. Notice I call them properly "the police" and not cops. But, that does not mean all police are good and there are not bad ones.
I'm glad the judge saw the difference. The judge's decision sets a good example and precedent for honesty and integrity.
I guess it never occured to her that other people would want the money and would use their power to take it if they could.
There's a valuable lesson to be learned here: don't call the cops.
Yeah, genius, call a drug dealer. Hey, I think your mommie is calling you....
I have a strong suspicion that "Steve the dog man" is, somehow, closely related to people in law enforcement, or is in law enforcement, himself...lol. Funny how you can smell the taint of a cop on just about anything THEY touch....lol
Steve the dog man, that is called a false dilemma. Do you think there is any other possible thing she could have done besides call the police and call a drug dealer? Are there any alternatives?? The drug dealer line is a stupid one. Do you really think anyone reading your comment is going to fall for it?
Genius guess, Davey! I'm a retired dog sled racer. Never been a cop. Got a few tickets, that's the closest I've come to being a cop.
I guess you saw right through me. Now, I get to make a guess about you: Since you are so anti-cop, it is obvious you are a career criminal who is tired of being hassled by decent people. I understand. You couldn't quite make it through middle school, never got that girlfriend you dreamed about. Finally stole someone's I-pod and then branched out to armed robbery, rape and sodomy.
Oh, and Chem-wow....Who needs to fall for it? I mean it: When you come home from sitting around in the teacher's lounge smoking your briarwood pipe and scratching your elbow through the leather patch, and you find out your lingerie is gone....DON'T Call the COPS!!! Call David Lane, and he'll strip search you at gunpoint. DON'T FALL FOR IT. Just bend over and do what you are told.
LMAO!!!! Nice Steve the dog man!!!! Well done!! LOL!!
You're completely brainwashed illogical loon-bag. You need to wake up and realize statism and nationalism are mental disorders. Cops are NOT your friends. They are a monopolized (by force) service that copuld easily be provided in the market if not coerced into a monopoly system with high costs, crappy customer satisfaction rates and service, and NO accountability.
They will shoot you to death with handcuffs on (logically no threat) and get suspended with pay while THEY investigate themselves and (suprise, suprise) find no wrong doing on the part of the murdering cop who pulled the trigger. Go on YouTube and watch it happen for yourself.
People are completely brainwashed and delusional.
ProIndividual, I have no doubt that there may well be police departments like the one you describe in America. However you seem to forget that there are thousands upon thousands of police departments that are all independent of each other in this nation. Painting them all with such a narrow brush does a disservice to the ones that are the real police force in America. The good guys.
That's just plain old BS saying the money had traces of pot on it! There was an article not too long ago that said 90% of paper money in the US has cocaine on it, that doesn't mean the lieing pigs can come take it away from you! (actually, I guess they obviously CAN take it but it doesn't make it right!)
Link posted above.
I was just thinking the same thing. There are some places now, that the employees wear gloves when handling large amounts of money for JUST that reason!
Here's a good link:
http://www.snopes.com/business/money/cocaine.asp
In Canada too!
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=3251714&archive=true
Some time ago there was a big bruhaha about a bunch of texas cops stopping people on the highway and seizing money under the pretext that the money they were carrying was drug related. Looks like these cops learned well from those TX pigs.
Here's a link to the CNN report: www.youtube.com/watch?v=frY_TJRfvB0
Here's an even more in-depth report on the Texas thieves:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7_f3gwFLV0&feature=related
I would really like to see a statement from the lawyer she hired saying that he is waiving his fee for this or that the police department is paying his fee. I have never liked the fact that you often have to pay a lawyer to get what is already yours.
Pat,
re: post 6.4
I totally agree. Her legal fees should be paid by that Police Dept since it was their unethical action in trying to keep that money that necessitated her hiring of legal help. When the lawyer was in court demanding her money he/she should have also insisted on the PD paying her court and legal fees. It doesn't sound like that lawyer was very much "on the ball".
As far as that PD goes, now they've revealed their hand to the public and cannot hide behind their supposed moral and legal good reputations. The fact is out! They tried to scam a hard working, needy waitress out of $12,000 dollars- a waitress who demonstrated far more honesty than the police dept did themselves- and now the truth is known across the country.
I guess we shouldn't be too suprised. Over the past 20 years or so there have been several laws enacted that allow police or feds to confiscate property and money from drug investigations & arrests, so this little legal maneuver by the city flatfeet is something they have a lot of practice in. I think this incident shows the weakness of these laws and how they can be abused and used against the unknowing or those too poor to hire legal help. Tip o' the Hat to the waitress for her honesty, and a prolonged Wag o' the Finger at that PD !!!!
No good deed goes unpunished!
No good deed ever goes unpunished. Here is someone of not much means that did the right thing and see what happens. If we rewarded those that did the right thing, instead of the popular thing of rewarding the low lives of our world, we would be so much better off. The wrong always seem to win anymore.
Cops are the biggest theives of them all moral of the story never tell a cop about money that you don't want them to steal. Never met an honest cop.
Kelly-968584 You wrote "From my perspective, she did a few things tragically wrong: 1.) Why on EARTH would you call the police?"
She called the police because that was the RIGHT THING to do. My question is how can doing the right thing be wrong?
That's one of the problems people decry about today's society:lack of honesty and lack of integrity.
And yes, being an honest person I would do the same. No matter what you think or believe of me.
Why was it the right thing to do? If her story is true, someone gave it to her. Why call the police? Do you call the police every time someone gives you something? Would you want people to call the police when you give them something?
Something in her story doesn't add up.
This whole story doesn't add up. But yeah I tried doing the same thing when I was younger, found a wallet in the park, looked at the drivers license and found the appartment complex. My friend and I returned the wallet to the owner, and the cops got called, because he said he had 200 in the wallet and it was missing. But when we found it, there were no money. I've learn something valuable that day. If it don't concern me, I don't want no part of it. If you lose your wallet and I see it laying some where, I'm not even touching it, oh well, your loss.
I would hope that you were smart enough to call the cops and report it if someone gave you $12,000.00 for bringing them a slice of pie. I would call the cops. I would be thinking; bank robbery, theft, marked bills from a sting operation..... "No officer I did not rob the bank." "Seriously, someone came into the resturant and left a $12,000.00 tip for me because I kept their coke glass full."
definately would call the cops. However I would expect to tget it back after the 60 days.
What possible reason would the cops have to suspect the waitress of anything? I can hear it now, "I'll bet that suspicious-looking guy hid some counterfeit money in a take-out carton and left it for the waitress to hold for him, Sarge. Let's go roust her."
Do you have any idea how much bogus currency gets passed every day? Would you know what to look for? Do you actually know anybody who would?
The only right thing to do was to claim it on her taxes. That's it...
pugface-3520663
What possible reason would the cops have to suspect the waitress of anything? I can hear it now, "I'll bet that suspicious-looking guy hid some counterfeit money in a take-out carton and left it for the waitress to hold for him, Sarge. Let's go roust her."
1. She possibly KNEW the person involved
2. She was INVOLVED with said person(s)
We obviously know, now, she wasn't involved. However, let's not pretend that the possibilities didn't exist.
the money is now missing from the police vault. it just vanished.
the money is now missing from the police vault. it just vanished.
Sorry, it never made it to the police vault. The police pocket the money right after they left with it.
Seen that so many times. Cop arrest someone for something as they do the search of that person any money found in the pockets or money found in a wallet ends up in there pockets.
Not all cops do this, but a good majority do.
Leatherneck918: "Seen that so many times. Cop arrest someone for something as they do the search of that person any money found in the pockets or money found in a wallet ends up in there pockets."
I think the grammar police will be coming for you next.
GoofyTigre: Well I would rather have the grammar police coming for me then the real police. Note to self don't make grammar errors on a BLOG..>
Leatherneck.
I call "horse@!$%#" on your "they keep it scenario."
Yeah, so do I. I love the stories on here, though. I haven't needed a book since the inception of the Vine.
If it's missing, then the pigs should be prosecuted for theft, or at least negligence resulting in property devaluation.
Ray-1367865, g0ne4n0w - I was arrested for a DWI.....(got home and was in my house before cops arrived)......after I was cuffed and brought down to the station, they went through my house. When I got home, I was missing several things, including $500 in cash that was intended as child support money. So yes, it does happen. Police took food right out of my child's mouth, in my own experience. I used to respect officers, but now I say "F" the police.
They should give her her money back.
All paper money has drugs on it.
stupid dirty pigs!
Crooked cops just want the money to feed their greedy pension system!
I hope Anonymous attacks the police department and exposes them for thieves. Next they will take both mine and your money because it is laced with Cocaine. A report last year showed that 90% of our paper currency is laced with cocaine.
Is that why my money smells so good?
Thats why I get so AMPED UP after counting it all. Dam I thought it was just a good feeling counting money. Dude I am hooked.
Now I know why so many people are acting crazy these days.... Especially the government!!!!!!!!!!! There all coked up!!!
What's Anonymous? Is it that anti-government militia that lives in the woods and has 5 teeth in the whole group?
No it's an anti-tyranny group of internet activists/hackers. It just so happens that governments (states) equate to tyranny. It's completely coincidental. But go back to sleep and salute your flag of mass murder and lies...sing your anthem of BS, and pretend the govt is benign, or worse yet, beneficial.
If you really think that our government is that evil, why not move to another country where you and your entire family can be put to death for saying such a thing? You sound just like Timothy McVeigh did prior his going insane with domonic possesion and killing all those innocent people. You need serious help before you end up doing something like that with your poisonous words and putrified soul. May God forgive you for the hatred you spew and invoke. It's a fact that there are good and bad people everywhere in this world, the bad people don't all happen to hold government jobs. I pray that the waitress does God's work with the money that she has been blessed with and that those who wanted to steal the gift that was gifted to her will do good works in atonement for their wrongs. At least she can sleep at night, with a clear conscience knowing that she gained that gift legally! Spread love, not hate as God wants us to love each other and forgive people who do wrong to us. I will pray that God lifts the burden of hate that is deeply burdening your heart.
bur·den 1
(bûrdn)
n.
1. Something that is carried.
2.
a. Something that is emotionally difficult to
bear.
b. A source of great worry or stress; weight: The burden of economic sacrifice rests on the workers of the
plant.
3. A responsibility or duty: The burden of organizing the campaign fell to
me.
4. Nautical
a. The amount of cargo that a vessel can carry.
b. The weight of the cargo carried by a vessel at one
time.
5. The amount of a disease-causing entity present in
an organism.
tr.v. bur·dened, bur·den·ing,
bur·dens
1. To weigh down; oppress.
2. To load or overload.
See, the cops think they can do whatever they want... Its high time we called for citizens to overthrow this police states we live in today? When we have police and governments doing whatever they want without the people deciding. This land was founded for the people, by the people, and not by organizations such as the FEDS and police departments. DEATH TO THE FEDS and to THE POLICE STATES of AMERICA.
P.S. For anyone who says I am a traitor for wanting to see FEDS be ousted, think again... its an organization and any organization can be destroyed without any of its people working hurt. All it takes is the people to band together, we have a government BULLYING its citizens, along with the states police forces taking what they want, when they want. You people followed the government right into their cross hairs, Letting them persuade you into wanting a big family, wanting houses, cars, and money... they want you to have this so you have something to lose... something you won't fight for because your to scared of losing.
Not a traitor, exactly. But a moron would be my vote.
now you're thinking Chris
@steve the dog man: only moron i see is the one saying the one liner!!!!! You vote moron, only takes one to know one!!!!
Tell me, who is the bigger moron, the guy who is tired of being pushed around and told what to do, when to do it? Or the guy who stands up for the constitution and his freedom???? You leaned towards me being a moron, well I will be the moron.... as long as you keep being the prostitute for the government!!!!
Violent overthrow of a state to replace it with another state (of violence, obviously) is never the answer. Anarchism, panarchism, and panarchist synthesis are the answers. No blood need be shed...abolish the state by not being their tax cattle on their tax farm anymore. Changing who runs the tax farm isn't freeing the tax cattle.
That's just a meme...don't be so naive and gullible. Don't lie to yourself. It's just a slogan. Ask the slaves and women back then who founded this country...it wasn't the people. They were subjugated immediately. Look up the Whiskey Rebellion, Shay's Rebellion, etc. They bailed out banks as soon as the country started by telling vterans of the Revolution that since they weren't paid by the govt, they had to take their lands. They didn't tell the banks to wait, that these men bled for the country....nooooo....they told the banks "take their lands". Even then, the people were just tax cattle on a tax farm.
The state is not great. Abolish the state.
So, you don't like any road that does not have a toll? Any school that does not cost you to attend? You stand against having a military to protect our borders? And I'll bet you think millions of airplane passengers would be safer with no air traffic control? Or perhaps you would want to eat more food that is never subjected to saftey inspections, or even regulated at all? Nothing on your food labels but "Trust Me, I am good food" printed by a faceless, unregulated corporation?
And which police offocer's tried taking the money? Did you file a complaint with the a.g.? Didn't think so.
It's funny to see that 98% of you like bashing cops on line. I dare you to try in person.
suckerrrr
What idiot wouldn't keep their mouth shut for $12,000?? That's her first mistake. Her second mistake is believing anything the police have to say....you could take money from the average Joe and find traces of drugs on it. Good luck getting it back sweetheart, that money is gone!
RockDoctor - Sorry, must disagree. Where do you draw the line if I my ask? If they left $10.00 would you have called the cops? No? Why not? Are you aware of a "tip limit" at which point it becomes a crime to give someone money? $100.00? Maybe $1000.00....where would YOU place the limit on a tip and when you should call the cops because "OMG!!!! Someone gave you some money!!!! Better run to the police about it!"
Go back to doctoring rocks, I think you might be qualified.
no tip limit but a common sense limit I would think. If someone gave you $12000.00 for keeping their coke glass full, then you better be thinking that the person is ditching bank robbery money, or marked bills or something along those lines. When was the last time you left 25% for a tip....20%??? Most people leave 10-15% for a tip. So $12,000.00 tip would mean a bill of about 1.2 million at 10%. I would be worried about who would be comming looking for their money the next day
Commonsense - you were doing okay until you tried to do the math. $12,000 on 1.2 million would be 1%, not 10%. I hope you leave better than 1% tips.
This isnt the story like this ive heard of , Id be amazed if this lady ever saw a dime of that money , its always drug related.What are the chances of getting hold of us currency thats hasnt gone through some pothead or druggies hands , so they always deem it "drug money". People if you get money like this or find a bag of cash , keep your mouth shut Do Not Call the Police ( because there Will be drug residue on the money) and enjoy a little finacial boost, unless you dont want it , then by all means , call the police , theyll handle it for you.
$12,000 is a lot of trips to Dunkin Donuts.
That's probably two nights worth of doughnuts...you ever see how fat they get?
You all see the corrupt, rotten system. Yet you all pay your taxes to keep it. If the money has drug trace on it, they should pay her another batch of "clean" 12K.
Get her an ATM card worth $12,000 dollars.
I think they should have given her the money back PLUS the value of the drugs that were on it.
The money has already been spent on donuts and hookers.
Not sure that is marijuana they smell on the money, more like the smell of B.S.
The only "winner" here will be the lawyer handling the lawsuit against the Moorhead Police. When she prevails in court, which I believe she will, the lawyer will get a good piece of the money for his/her time.
Didn't anybody here read the story? Even the headline said that she gets the money back. The lawyer may get some, but she gets the wad.
Hopefully since she won in court, the Police Department will have to pay for her Attorney fees!! Hopefully she will also use the money to help her family get ahead a little, large families are not cheap. Maybe get each of the 5 children a little bank account with a $1000 each, so they can learn to save for their futures. Then she can use the other $7000 for the household, and whatever needs they have. Nice thought anyways.
screw the police, screw the bank and screw the irs! wtf is wrong with people! somebody gives this idiot $12k and she turns it over to the 3rd largest criminal organization in america! (the first being the government, the 2nd being the i.r.s.) how stupid can you get. it's almost like the average
"good citizen" in america now never psychologically matures past the mental equivelent of 11 or 12 years old. the world acknowledges the dumbing down of america why haven't americans themselves? too dumb, i guess, and this idiot proves the point.