Monday, 10th April 2006 (4098 views)

The latest craze in denture art, known as a 'grill', has been causing problems for two men facing drugs charges in Tacoma, WS.

Flenard T Neal, Jr and Donald Jamar Lewis both have the permanent decorative gold tooth caps bonded to their front teeth, similar to the latest designer 'grills' worn by famous rap stars such as Nelly, Three 6 Mafia and Juicy J.

The US lawyers who applied for the warrant to have the jewellery removed from the defendant's teeth were reportedly unaware that the gold accessories were permanently attached and if removed could cause lasting damage.

Emily Langlie, a spokesperson for the attorney's office in Seattle, told the Associated Press that while asset forfeiture was "a fairly routine procedure", when the government realised the removal was not as straightforward as it seemed, the process was abandoned.

A Washington forfeiture specialist, Richard J Troberman, condemned the action, saying he had known nothing like it in over 30 years.

"It sounds like Nazi Germany when they were removing the gold teeth from the bodies," he claimed, "but at least then they waited until they were dead."

The episode was similarly criticised by Miriam Schwartz, the lawyer for Mr Neal: "It's shocking that this kind of action by the federal government could be sought and accomplished in secret, without anyone being notified."

Ms Schwartz equated the attempted clandestine seizure, which was only halted when the defendants contacted their lawyers prior to being transported to a Seattle dentist, to "the secret detentions" in terrorist cases.

 

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