LadyTantalize
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Another raid..... #2257 at work!
Police Raid Connecticut BDSM Site Owner's Home
by Darklady
For YNOT.com
ENFIELD, CT â€" Michelle Silva thought that things were starting to
settle down in her life. She was getting her finances in order and
had found that selling home-made bondage videos through her website
provided her with the economic independence she needed to accomplish
her goals. She had her professional ducks in a row and was preparing
for a successful and satisfying future. In order to comply with all
local laws, she possessed the appropriate business zoning permits. In
order to comply with national 2257 regulations, she kept appropriate
model documentation. Yet on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 16,
she says that as many as 30 members of the Enfield Connecticut police
unexpectedly entered her home, repeatedly made derogatory comments
about her lifestyle, and confiscated not only all of her computer and
Internet technology related possessions, but also every piece of
bondage furniture and BDSM equipment likewise involved. No arrests
were made.
What happened?
"We can only speculate at this point," her newly appointed attorney,
Daniel Silver states. "I know that they did not come in looking for
child stuff â€" and there is no child stuff. The authorities admit
that this is not a seizure for the purpose of child pornography."
Could the seizure be related to obscenity prosecution?
According to Silver, who was recommended to Silva by the Free Speech
Coalition, there has not been an obscenity arrest in Connecticut in
at least 20 years, which makes this situation all the more baffling.
Although the Enfield police department insists that it presented
Silva with a search warrant, which would provide information about
the reason for entering her home-based business, she insists that
such is not the case. According to an email sent by Silva, the
police insisted that they were "looking for something specific" and
that they would present the warrant once that had been located.
Regardless of whether or not Silva was presented with a warrant, her
attorney is clear about the fact the "at this point, I don't have it.
I have requested it and Ill get it, but needless to say, I'm not
waiting for them to do that."
Indeed, Silver, a First Amendment attorney who exclusively represents
members of the adult industry, says that "appropriate measures are in
the process of being filed with the Superior Court in Connecticut
seeking immediate return of all items seized." As Silver explains, he
views all confiscated items as "protected material," which are
covered by different laws from those concerning other forms of
contraband.
Silver insists that nothing on Silva's EmpressM.net website is
unusual or extreme.
"I think the important thing is that it's disturbing that in the
state of Connecticut they would even bother with this type of
situation because, as I indicated, there has not been an obscenity
arrest in 20 years."
*****(Excerpt from post made by Empress M at All Star Doms!)
"Here is the story from EmpressM"
On Wednesday, November 16th, 2005 at 2pm my business and home was
raided by the CT local and state police. The door bell rang, "I
asked who it is?" Before I could open the door, THEY pushed the door
in yelling, "POLICE, SEARCH WARRANT!" Over a dozen officers entered.
We were ordered to sit on the couch. We asked to see the warrant and
they refused to show it to us. They told us they were looking for
something specific and told us not to worry about it, we would get
to look at it when they finished the search.( WE NEVER SAW THE
WARRANT) We were terrified because there were over 30 officers
ripping apart my home and business confiscating everything they
deemed as unusual such as my leathers, bdsm furniture, personal
effects such as collars, entire inventory to my on-line store,
fetish novelties, expensive snake skin hand made whips and floggers,
all my fetish toys and many more items. While they packed the stuff
in to boxes they were making remarks about how unusual it was to
possess these strange items. They told us they did not know anything
about bdsm.
At this point I noticed there were two, possibly three dozen
officers in the house. They were making degrading and humiliating
comments about the things they were taking. At the same time we were
being questioned by the officer who was guarding us, about our
fetish lifestyle. He picked up a fetish magazine and in a sarcastic
tone asked me, "Did you make the cover?" He then discovered my
pictures in the magazine and then shouted, "Hey, they are in this
magazine!" To which several officers began passing it around, making
jokes and discriminating comments about our lifestyle tastes. I
asked him if we were being arrested and he said no. We asked him why
they were taking our things?. The officer replied, " I'll bet if we
looked, 95 percent of the homes in town here would not look like
this inside." He added, "That makes it contraband and that is why we
can take it during a search." (These toys are legal in CT and can be
found at a store right near our house).
They began asking questions regarding my adult based business
claiming that I did not have a permit to run it. I told them that I
had a permit from the town and was approved to run my adult BDSM and
fetish websites as my business. I also have two rooms in which I
shoot content for my sites.
This is all documented and filed as an Adult based website with my
town. We are also 2257 compliant. I explained that I am in
bankruptcy and have proven in court to the judge and the trustee the
legitimacy of my business and all income from it. I have all the
proper paper work as well as being approved to run my business.
No one was arrested. All my computers, two rooms of BDSM furniture
and all my equipment for a total of 20,000 dollars worth of items
were seized at the time. I did not get an itemized list for any of
the items that were taken. They left without showing us the warrant,
without telling us what they were looking for. I believe my rights
have been violated.
(Some more facts)
They entered without showing me the warrant.
Never left a copy or showed me what was on it when they finished
there search.
Made harassing comments about my lifestyle and degraded us for it.
When we asked to use the phone with the intent to call a lawyer we
were denied.
They did not ask if we had any medical problems that would be
affected by not allowing us to eat drink or if we took any
medication.
I asked to take my migraine medication after the whole incident
started and was allowed to because it was prescribed to take every 4
hrs by my doctor.
They told us that we could not eat or drink because we could claim
that it caused a reaction from them giving it to us.
For 5 hrs we were ordered to sit on the couch, while being denied
water or food.
They all got bottled water and some even had food while here.
No one asked us if we needed a drink.
I needed to use the bathroom and was told that there were no woman
officers here so they would call one. AFTER waiting another 30
minutes, I asked again to use the bathroom and was escorted by a
male officer upstairs to the bathroom. He stood outside the door and
told me that I could not close it all the way. To keep it half open.
And I should not be embarrassed because I'm used to it because of my
BDSM lifestyle.
He laughed and said I hope you're not going to charge me a tribute.
This happened twice.
They looked at fetish magazines and made comments about the fact I
was on the cover of one and passed it around to others showing me on
the inside.
They teased us saying that our TV would look good down at the
station and that they only took stuff that's not junk.
They continued to raid and invade my home but complained that it was
getting late and that they wanted to go home. Dozens and dozens of
police carried out all of our possessions for our business and
personal life.
I also have a dog that has a medical condition and takes medication
for nerves. They did not take him out at all, or give him fresh
water or food. They kept him in the bathroom the whole time.
No charges were made or arrest but I lost everything and will now
lose my home due to not being able to make my trustee payment and my
mortgage and bills.
I called the attorney that the Free Speech Coalition told me to call
and I have a meeting set up with him on Monday at 4pm.
He said that there would be a retainer and that we could talk in
detail on Monday.
I need to raise money for legal defense and get my computers and
things back. This is urgent as my business is my sole source of
income.
What can I do to fight this? How do I move on? Where do I raise
money for legal and living expenses? How do I get my stuff back? I
still don't know why they picked my business to destroy. Originally
the town approved it, we are now in fear of them entering our home
again without cause.
Please let us know what i would need to do to get help with my case
before anyone else rights are violated.
M.
*heavy sighs*
Lady T.
_____________________________
Truly, Lady T.
Lady Tatiana Tantalize
Atlanta's Sadistic Southern Belle, Crossdressing Consultant, Punk-Rock Party Girl and Wicked SugarPuss
http://www.ladytantalize.net
"A prayer for the wild at heart, kept in cages."
-Tennessee William
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Another Raid - #2257 & Obscenity laws at work - 
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