While everybody was trying to fight the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) the United States government was acting like the law was already passed. The United States government seized the assets of Megaupload after accusing the company of assisting pirates. Now the government has come out and said even if the charges again Megaupload are dismissed they have no obligation to released the seized assets:
The government also argued that it could keep Megaupload in legal limbo indefinitely. “None of the cases impose a time limit on service,” the government’s attorney told the judge. Therefore, the government believes it can leave the indictment hanging over the company’s head, and keep its assets frozen, indefinitely.
How convenient, when due process becomes a hinderance you merely keep the accused in a state of legal limbo and that allows you to keep their assets indefinitely. What this maneuver does is show that this case case about two things; first, this case was about striking fear into the hearts of oversea operations that may or may not assist in violating United States intellectual property laws and second, this case was about stealing other peoples’ shit (which is how governments get all of their wealth).
What happened to the right to a fair and expedient trial. I believe there would be basis to sue for a trial.
The standard response is to claim that constitutional protections only apply to American citizens. Megaupload was a foreign company (incorporated in Hong Kong) and therefore, according to the standard excuse writers, not protected by the United States Constitution.