The authorities of South Carolina decided to put an end to house poker. Like services to combat drugs, they are monitoring the homes where play poker and commit their raids. The authorities operate according to accepted in the law in 1802, which prohibits play in gambling at home.
After desyatimesyachnogo investigation in Charleston Country county on April 4 was another raid. Surveillance was followed by four houses. On that day, police unit, headed by the sheriff committed at the raided house, where the games were held with high rates. 27 people arrested, seized $ 62000. All those arrested were planted in a cell temporary detention and later released on bail. Only 65 players have been indicted, 19 of them have already pleaded guilty to committing a crime. They are obliged to pay fines ranging from $ 154 to $ 257. Now they are preparing to appear before a civil court and fight for the right to return the seized money.
Bob Chimento, too, was among those arrested on April 4, even though not present at the raid site. He had not participated in the game, because rates were too high. However, on 15 October Chimento played in another house, are under observation, which was attended by police, working under cover. After the game of the warrant was issued for the arrest Chimento.
Chimento was one of 23 people who participated in the tournament with a contribution of $ 20 in the town of Mount Pleasant in South Carolina, where the raid took place in April 2006. All except five players pleaded guilty and paid small fines. The same people were charged after the latest raid, but those who have been detained in 2006, had to pay higher fines. Chimento, only five of those who appeared in both cases, which held hearings in the court jury.
Big amateur poker Chimento argues that since last August, played in a poker game only three times, and now at the forefront of advocates for changing the outdated law of South Carolina on gambling.
“The reason why we oppose this law that we want our state representative in Congress helped us to change it,” – said Chimento. “We just love poker and want to play him, even at home. And they are trying to make us give up poker.”
The tactics of applying the law in practice, used by the authorities of South Carolina, it seems little productive. Despite the strong resonance of events in the media of South Carolina, every night in the state can find a house, where play poker. And these public polls conducted by local newspapers and radio stations, show that 85% of those surveyed think that comes with players unfairly.
Methods used by the police raids in the commission, the greatest cause for concern. Chimento tells how in 2006 to distribute the knock on the door, and then “… all looked as if a rapid response team detained cocaine traffickers. Blyustiteli order (точь-in-точь as on TV) breaks into your home: weapons, masks , Flak jackets, and we osharashennye, with hands over their heads. At first we thought that we are robbed, then realized that this is consistent police and that he needed to retract, because someone could kill By that night. “
In that night was among those arrested and 78 – year old. Police have issued a subpoena to the players and seized a total of about $ 6000.
Several days after the latest raids, Chimento, was taken into custody after he announced that his arrest on a warrant issued, and is headed a criminal case. He held at the police station 8 hours, he took fingerprints, photographs did interrogated and then a week later, he would once again appear before the court to declare their innocence.
His interests and the other four players were in court and lawyer Bob Ciaffone who handle cases of gambling addiction, Chuck Humphrey. They hope to the jury, but Chimento believes that since it came to court (no information on when the case will be reviewed in 2006), then to condemn them.
If it happens and then they submit their appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, which, in more detail (than do lower courts) will be able to consider the law. That’s what the players hope to change the law.
That case has already prompted a member of the House of Representatives Wallace Scarborough write a bill that will enable people to play poker in their homes because rake in such games is not going to. But his bill was returned to the House for revision and this year will not be accepted.
