A federal court is allowing a civil rights lawsuit to move forward against three police officers in Alabama accused of pulling cars over to find reasons to fine the drivers and tow the vehicles, all part of a controversial and corrupt plan to raise revenue.
It's the latest development for the town of Brookside, Alabama, which drew national attention back in January when the Birmingham News exposed that the mayor and the police chief of the 1,500-population town built up the police force and then set them loose to fine drivers whatever amount they could. Over the course of two years, revenue from fines and forfeitures jumped more than 600 percent and accounted for more than half of Brookside's budget. People targeted by the police began to sue, accusing cops of fabricating charges in order to justify fining people and towing their cars.
