sharply. with 287,000 mothers dieing, the demand for more solutions is still pressing. >> plenty more on our website. the address is www.aljazeera.com. and sara hoy considers the high cost of a gunshot. >> reporter: what would you say at the end of the day was the total bill, from start to now? >> almost $10 million. >> reporter: $10 million. >> on a lot of drugs, machinery, health care nurses. also, highway robbery. alone. >> he said "what are you doing with this money?" i said we are going to vegas to together. >> lisa fletcher, with the rules letting police take cash and

cards, even if there's no evidence of crime. thanks for joining us, i'm joie chen - innocence until proven guilty, the base of our system of justice, except when things don't work out that way. consider it civil asset forfeiture allowing police to seize prop, cars or cash, that they think may be the ill-gotten gains of illegal activity. it's a power tool benefitting abused. used against those that have not been charged with crime. "america tonight"s lisa fletcher found unlikely voices calling for an end to it in new mexico. >> reporter: in september 2010, steven skinner and his son were driving from chicago to las vegas, nevada. there skinner was going to help a family member remodel her home and also they planned to do

gambling. on the way the g.p.s. drove them towards las vegas new mexico. within a few miles travelling into the state trouble began. >> i'll have you patted down for weapons. >> i'm doing 5 miles over the speed limit. the state trooper arriving me if he can search the car. >> reporter: that search did not turn up weapons or drugs, but the police discovered something else - $17,000 skinner and his son had in their luggage for the 2-week trip. >> this boy has $3,000. >> he said what are you doing with this money? >> i said we are going to vague awes to help by -- vegas to help my sister put her house together and then my second and i are going to have some fun.

>> reporter: after 2.5 hours of aggressive questioning the cops let the skinners and their money go. but the ordeal was just beginning. further down the road in albuquerque they were stopped again. this time the local police accompanied by federal agents. >> they when immediately to the money, because they knew where it was. >> reporter: they took the 17,000. >> they took the 17,000. with? crime. >> what reason did they give you for taking all your money. >> they didn't give us a reason. >> in the united states you are incident until proven guilty. proven innocent. >> right. >> reporter: the agents took the skinner's car, dropping them off at the airport. they were stranded with no money or transportation. skinner and his sons were

victims of a practice known as civil asset forfeiture. under it local police, working in cooperation with authorities can seize people's money property based on the suspicion it might be tied to a crime. >> reporter: since 2001 nationwide police have taken more than $2.5 billion in cash from people who have never been charged with a crime. >> i went to college here. >> brad is a prominent new mexico attorney. we met him at his ranch. >> all of the protections we know in the bill of rights are abrogated by asset forfeiture. >> most average folks are not cash. >> most seizures are not 35,000. they are lower than 35,000. last i checked, it's legal to owe money in america.

you are allowed to have the money, travel with the money and in order to take if you are supposed to have a federal judge take a warrant. >> coming from kate, some may find it strange. it was kate as a high ranking official under president regan, who helped establish the aggressive use of civil forfeiture. what went through your head thinking it was a good idea? >> the war of drugs, we were seizing millions from international drug dealers, now there are 400 federal laws for which you can invoke asset forfeiture. we went from a targeted specific purpose to a widespread programme in america. >> that was never your intention. >> no, no. >> as a result of cases like the skinners. new mexico is the first state to

abolish civil forfeiture outright. kate helped to write the law. >> your numb print is on the creation of it. you want it on the fix. >> very good. yes. >> reporter: he points out the new law strengthens criminal forfeiture, the ability to take money after people are convicted of a crime. >> in america, you are not pa drug dealer or a paedophile until you get caught and convicted with a jury of peers. >> those in favour says of legislature at the new mexico state cabinet acted hastily in it. >> fred is the president of the new mexico police chief association and chief of miss in edge wood. what percentage of seizures do

you think were righteous. >> the fast majority were legitimate. there's not a lot of people that had hundreds of thousands as cash driving down the highway. >> exact unanimous are hard to come by, he's confident most forfeitures, ein those that did not result in criminal charges were justified. for new mexico police, there were rules. >> we had to make our case and they'd make a decision based on what is presented to them by us or people it's taken from. we have to show the court we took the money for a reason. do you thing it's fair. >> beyond the loss of a

deterrent. it means the lose if you worked with. >> we are not going to have the resources available to commit to drug enforcement. whether it's vehicles, equipment, overtime money. >> that's exactly the part of civil forfeiture critics see as a conflict of interest this home video, made out a law enforcement conference is exhibit number one. speaking is harry conly. city attorney for new mexico. he goats about the chance to see a car. >> a guy drives up. so beautiful. the

cops were undercover. expresses envy over the number of seizures in philadelphia. >> 8,000 cases in one year. $500 a pop. it's a mined blower. >> and jokes about a recent newspaper article. >> the article in the journal is what is yours is there's. i want to turn around, what is that's not the way the police ought to fund. police should not have an n dependent source. the new law doesn't mean civil forfeiture is over in new mexico. the ban opportunity apply to law enforcement. despite a pledge by former attorney-general attorney general eric holder to curtail the practice, at the federal level it's going

strong. >> despite holder's reform, more than 90% of that would still have been eligible for seizure. >> this boy was 30,000. as for skinner, he and a second got their money back. they fought. since the federal agencies took their money, they had no hearing. others are not as fortunate. unable to find or afford an attorney. they take the loss. we asked both the new mexico department of justice to comment for the report. both declined. >> did you ever in your wildest streams think when you -- dreams, when you got up that morning, that this is the situation you would be in?

>> never in my wildest dreams. i'm a citizen, it's worth all my life. i pay my taxes and never got in trouble. never had the idea that this would happen the dividing line. in life and death. "america tonight"s christopher putzel in the nation's latest racial flash point. the texas community where a black woman died in police custody. is this really the most racist country in the lone star state? >> lair, paying the price. when shots don't kill, the pain lasts for life. hot on "america tonight" website. summer camp with a twist. teens learning new skills in how to battle abortion

>> just because you're pregnant don't mean your life's ended. >> intense pressure. >> i don't know if this whole dance thing will work out. >> tough realities. >> we call chicago "chiraq" because we have more killers. >> life changing moments. >> shut the cam --. >> from oscar winning director alex gibney. a hard hitting look at the real issues facing american teens. the incredible journey continues. "on the edge of eighteen". >> "inside story" takes you beyond the headlines, beyond the quick cuts, beyond the sound bites. we're giving you a deeper dive into the stories that are making our world what it is. >> ray suarez hosts "inside story". only on al jazeera america.

>> i'll have two or three puffs and i'll already have a nicotine buzz. >> a popular smoking alternative. >> we have to learn have to learn more about electronic cigarettes.

>> but could vaping be just as dangerous? >> what are you really taking in? >> we don't know what chemicals are in these things. >> techknow's team of experts show you how the miracles of science... >> i'm standing in a tropical windstorm. >> can affect and surprise us. >> wow, some of these are amazing. >> techknow - where technology meets humanity. who began as a routine traffic stop evolved into a flashpoint reigniting the debate over race and justice in america. ground zero this time outside houston, waller county texas, where an african american woman tide in custody, three days after being taken to gaol. the circumstances are under investigation, but locals charge that a bitter history is behind

the allegation that it is the most rastest county -- racist county. christopher putzel looks at both county. >> reporter: waller county texas, it's a sleepy rural working class area, a short drive from houston. the community was awaken following the arrest and death of sandra bland, who died whilst in police custody. >> you didn't fail, you failed to signal a lane change. >> a texas drooper pulled bland over for not signalling during a lane change. an altercation ensued. >> get out of the car. i will rite you up. >> wow. >> get out of the car now. >> wow. signal. >> get over there. >> reporter: the 28-year-old chicago woman relocated to texas, where she'd been highlighted at her alma matter, texas prairie view. >> we travelled to hampstead,

the country seat and town where blair hung herself. we met up with herschell smith, a county, a former judge from here called the most racist in >>. >> would you say in this town is more racist than any other town? >> the reason why they have gotten so much attention and all the areas are - have a lot of racism in it. it lives in the shadow of past. out of 254 counties, two countries had more lynchings between 1877 and 1950. >> according to the equal justice initiatives lynching report, 15 african-americans were lynched in waller county during that time period. segregation, showed up in cemeteries.

>> we drove by the cemeteries. what's the history. blacks could not be buried. whites could not be buried. blacks could not be buried in a jewish cemetery, that was the way it was, you know. >> it wasn't too long ago that circle smith said his cousin was race. >> any time black kids, when i grew up, dating white girls, it was a problem. it was a huge problem. and a cousin coming out of the house, the window, got shot and kill. he was left dead. and found dead. >> because he was dating - girl. exist. problem. >> racism is a big problem. not just in waller county but across the country.

it's a problem. it's a problem that we need to have, as leaders, and people in power need to look at it and deal with it and not be in denial about it. >> officials like waller county have acknowledged the county's racist pass, but believe race relations are improving. >> if are in the sandra bland case, this trooper pulled over because she was black. numbers suggest the state does not have a number with racial programming. the department has released traffic stop statistics. last year texas troopers made more than 2.2 stops, in over 9% the driver was black. keep in mind, blacks make up 11% of the population. conversely white drivers from stopped more than 1.3 million

times, accounting for 59% of stops. a number far greater than the 45% of whites living in texas. despite the numbers, herschelle insists blacks are targeted. >> you have to dot your is and cross your "t"s. as an african-american american i was taught you have to make sure you do everything right you have to make sure you follow the letter of the law. constable smith encountered racism. becoming constable. >> the reaction was how did he do it. how did you all let him do it. it still is, it took me 2.5 years to get in the office in waller county. >> herschell persevered because of a non-existent relationship between law enforcement and the black community. >> i have an opportunity to be

an example to the community, show them there's a better way, we can do this thing, there can be different law enforcement. >> as a constable he believes he's showing his deputies that there's a better way. >> like i tell my deputies, there's two words you need to remember - respond and react. if you react to things you make wrong decisions. if you respond to things you'll thing about what you do before you do it. >> right, yes. yes, let's take this apart. let's do it. >> go ahead. >> in the case of sandra bland expert say it's clear that the trooper contributed to the escalating situation. a criminal investigation into his actions has been launched by the county district attorney. >> christopher putzel, hampstead texas. next - shots fired and the shattered lives left behind.

>> investigating a dark

side of the law >> they don't have the money to puchace their freedo

[ ♪♪ ] after gun fire tragedy the national conversation returns again and again to that of controlling firearms, more regulation, stricter enforcement a debate played out so many times, sometimes it seems to have lost firepower. most of the focus and mourning is over lives lost. overlooked - that most gunshot victims survive their wounds, and might change arguments over guns and control may be a more frank consideration of the cost of the bullet. on that, here is sara hoy. >> it was july 27th, 2005.

it was a nice day. a hot day. i got paid that day. it was a great day. guys were outside of my building asking me questions about the job. we were talking. the shots rang out. [ siren ] derek was just 21 years old when a stranger shot him twice while on his way home from work. >> the worst pain i felt in my life. it was so bad. it was like hot lava, like my insides were burning. >> reporter: doctors confirmed his worse nightmare, he was por again. >> i was 21. >> i had everything i want. from doing that, from being waited on hand in foot. it was almost a child again. >> when it comes to gun violence, what gets attention is those that die. often overlooked are those who live. and the enormous cost that go with it.

>> gunshot wounds are the third-leading cause of spinal cord injuries, affecting young uninsured men with health costs climbing into the millions. owens was uninsured at the time of the shooting, leaving the hospital to pick up the tab, with the remainder needed to be medicaid. >> if you added it up. what was the total bill from start to now? >> looking at almost $10 million. >> $10 million. >> seriously. my first year i accumulate almost $2 million worth of bills, that's back and forth. after the surgery. i lost a major organ, i was back and forth on a lot of drugs, machinery. i had lines in my home. home health care nurses. >> dr james doherty is director

of the trauma center at the medical center. the same hospital where owens was taken. live. >> if you look for numbers, roughly one-fifth of the homicides. there's a large population of individuals who survived gunshot wounds, and beyond the injuries, many of the patients end up problems. >> a university of chicago crime lab study puts the cost of gun violence nationwide around $1 billion. shootings costing $2.5 billion, or 2500 per household. >> it's not uncommon to have a patient with a total hospital bill of over a million. >> over a million. >> in that situation, that patient has no insurance, that's free charity care provided by the hospitals. >>

by an estimate. annual industries cost $645 per gun in america. it's not who you think that is paying the price. >> there's a certain belief out there that all trauma patients deserve being shot. they are gang bankers. it's not -- gang bankers. that's not true. the majority are not in gangs, the shooting did not revoef around gang-related incidents. the majority are innocent victims. >> in may, michael brown was driving around the suburbs when he heard the window crack. >> it felt like someone punched me in my left shoulder, in the back. but i knew it wasn't just a punch, because it knocked me over. i slumped over the wheel. >> the 57-year-old father of two

bullet. >> -- stray bullet. >> i'm not a gang banker or a thug. i'm thinking why would someone want to shoot me. i guess i figured out it was just an act of random violence. >> that would leave brown without the use of arms or legs, changing his life forever. >> brown taught high school mass for 34 years, and pastor for 17 at a church he founded with his wife. losing his place at the palpit was a big cost. >> how hard was it for you not to minister? >> i get a little emotional when i talk about it. i - ministry is my life. you know. to not be able to stand there and do what god has called me to do. it's just - i can't describe it. it's heart wrenching. >> it's been nearly a decade

since derek owens was shot. he lives with his sister in a modest house on the south side. himself. >> i see a lot of guys in the neighbourhood in a wheelchair. >> owen says the wheelchair doesn't define him. >> we are not defined by the gun violence. it will pass, it will change. it's something we have to go through. we are experiencing it. but the sign again. it will. the price cut down is one he's still paying. >> the price in a way we all pay. that's "america tonight". tell us what you think at aljazeera.com. talk to us on twitter or facebook and come back. we'll have more of "america tonight" tomorrow.

>> brittany menard's decision to take her own life last year. sparked a national debate. >> brittany didn't wan't to die the brain tumor was killing her, she simply took control over how that process would go. >> now see what her husband is doing to keep his promise to change "right to die" laws nationwide. america tonight only on al jazeera america. >> hi bae. in my school no one gives a (bleep) if i'm gay or not. but at home, it's just harder to be myself. >> i really want my father to just tell me. i support you and i love my gay