Minnesota Waitress Sues After Police Seize $12,000 'Tip'

ABC News via Yahoo ^ | 4/4/12 | Jennifer Abbey

[mgstarr]

Stacy Knutson, a struggling Minnesota waitress and mother of five, says she was searching for a "miracle" to help her family with financial problems.

But that "miracle" quickly came and went after police seized a $12,000 tip that was left at her table. Knutson filed a lawsuit in Clay County District Court stating that the money is rightfully hers. Police argue it is drug money.

Knutson was working at the Fryn' Pan in Moorhead, Minn., when, according to her attorney, Craig Richie, a woman left a to-go box from another restaurant on the table. Knutson followed the woman to her car to return the box to her.

"No I am good, you keep it," the woman said, according to the lawsuit.

Knutson did not know the woman and has not seen her since, Richie said. Knutson thought it was "strange" that the woman told her to keep it but she took it inside. The box felt too heavy to be leftovers, Ritchie said, so she opened it -- only to find bundles of cash wrapped in rubber bands.

"Even though I desperately needed the money as my husband and I have five children, I feel I did the right thing by calling the Moorhead Police," Knutson said in the lawsuit.

Police seized the money and originally told Knutson that if no one claimed it after 60 days, it was hers. She was later told 90 days, Richie said. When 90 days passed, Knutson was still without the $12,000.

Police told Knutson the money was being held as "drug money" and she would receive a $1,000 reward instead, the lawsuit states. Lt. Tory Jacobson of the Moorhead police said he could not disclose much information about the case because it is an ongoing investigation.

[rolling_stone]

my c note says it went to buy more shiny equipment and poodle shooters for SWAT

[allmendream]

NEVER call the police about anything you don't want them to steal.

Cops have a voracious appetite for “drug money” and any high amount of money they discover is OBVIOUSLY “drug money” and therefore theirs.

[HenryArmitage]

unless the Revenue Agent can demonstrate a “REASONABLE SUSPICION” that a crime has been committed, you DO NOT have to produce Identification EVER.

I feel the need to recommend here that friends should check their state laws and if their state does have 'Stop and Identify' laws that they should become familiar with them.

[4yearlurker]

WHY did she get the cops involved!!??? Don't you know you are guilty till proven innocent? She should have kept her mouth shut. The less people that know your business the better off you are.

[Titan Magroyne]

Too true.

Nor should an innocent person allow himself to be intimidated by a LEO sneering, “You don’t want to appear uncooperative, do you?”

If he had probable cause or at least a victim of an actually-happened crime, he wouldn’t have to ask you to enter the lion’s den and ensnare yourself for him. Don’t yield to social pressure, because that’s all it is. Tough noogies if he can’t erect a case against you without your help. That’s his job, not yours.

The cop is not your friend.

[McGruff]

That must have been pretty good service she was giving.

[eyeamok]

Unfortunately this comes from the Supreme Court and applies to All 57 States:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reasonable_suspicion.

Never Talk to Revenue Agents disguised as Law Enforcement Officers.

[Vaquero]

poodle shooters...heh ; )~

[lowbridge]

Bump

[BigCinBigD]

I miss old Quark.

[GreenHornet]

Unless the bills were marked, what evidence do they have that this was drug money? (other than "it smelled like marijuana.") Also, it's strange that the woman who left the money hasn't come forward to confirm the waiteresses' story.

(Why am I suddenly reminded of the Honeynooners episode where Ralph finds a suitcase filled with money on the bus?)

[Peet]

Jack booted thugs...

...what Obama-backing union do these thugs belong to.

Silly boy! Didn't you know all money is government money and they decide how much of "your" money you may keep?

Just ask any leftist -- they'll tell you.

[Springman]

Just read on Drudge that she will get to keep all 12K.

Would like to know what she did for such a good tip.

[BooBoo1000]

I have a real problem with this. How can the Police look at a packet of money and determine it is drug money>>>>????
What identifying marks show this money to be contaminated.???

[Gay State Conservative]

Pay raises for everyone working for the city of Moorehead!

[Altariel]

Sounds like the officers wanted to emulate the “Sheriff of Nottingham”.

[this_ol_patriot]

LOL...they spent it on donuts.

[Lazamataz]

There is no situation in your life that is not made worse by the addition of a cop.

[ZX12R]

There is no situation in your life that is not made worse by the addition of a cop.

It pains me to say this, but I am really starting to feel this way about them. I feel so sorry for the ones that are very good at their job, but way too many these days seem completely out of control and see everyone as a criminal, and treat people that way. Something has gone very wrong in law enforcement. I can think of a very few situations where I might call for one anymore, and none of those would involve me personally. I simply have no need for them.

[jiggyboy]

AP: “Minnesota waitress gets to keep $12,000 ‘tip’”

http://www.mercurynews.com/nation-world/ci_20341153/minnesota-waitress-gets-keep-12-000-tip

A little “national attention” changes things a little, huh. Anybody think their “investigation” would have yielded “it’s not related to a crime” without the spotlight?

(I’m too lazy to post this as a separate link.)