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Were the Feds Justified in Taking the Mongols Logo?

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    Posted by RussBrown October 19, 2012 - Filed in Motorcycle News - 1,918 views

    Mongols Bike Gang Embroiled in Controversial Legal Battle

     

    The Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives after a lenghty investigation decided to go after the Mongols for a variety of things - in addition to seizing millions of dollars worth of Mongols assest, the prosecutors also claimed the Mongols’ trademarked name and logo. The U.S. Attorney O’Brien even declared that if “any law enforcement officer sees a Mongol wearing his patch, he will be authorized to stop that gang member and can literally take the jacket right off his back."

    This created quite a stir in regards to tradmarked logos and names.  Last year a Los Angeles judged ruled the Mongols Trademark belongs to the Mongols and believed the Justice Department should pay all the legal costs incurred by the Mongols for the costs incurred in this fight because the Feds had violated the Mongols' First Amendment rights. The Mongols' legal fees work out to close to 250 000 bucks.

    Recently a federal judge ordered the Justice Department to pay $253,206 to ACLU attorney Loy who worked to challenge the prosecutors’ 2008 attempt to seize the Mongols’ logo and trademark. According to Loy, “What they did was an outrageous violation of the First Amendment and an absolute abuse of forfeiture and trademark laws”.

    The Federal prosecutors attempt to seize the logo and trademark name, were they justified or going way too far?

    What do you think?

    Russ Brown, Motorcycle Accident Lawyer.

     

     

Comments

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  • Jonesy1340 who really cares in the grand scheme of things...judges over turn rulings in your country quicker than they change underwear..it would be far easier if you had only 3 branchs of law..federal state and county...instaed of 10 different departments in each...  more
  • BountyHunter0509 RICO is the problem; get rid of it so this type of nonsense ends.
  • KeyWestGuy They went too far. Hell its getting so you say something and they will have a law against it. Its a pure case of abuse of power. We have to play by the rules and they do not. I think the government watchs too much TV and they think the things they see...  more
  • Orddy Most of the Mongols live outside the laws anyways so who are they to cry foul when they get spanked by the law. We do have too much big brother nose in our business and they need to back the hell off.