Moussavi supporters rally Wednesday in Tehran, Iran. Released by Fars News Agency of Iran.

Gary Tuchman
AC360° Correspondent

What is happening in Iran is fascinating to people the world over. But the prism through which those in the Islamic world observe it is so much more unique and nuanced.

I am currently on vacation with my family in the exotic and delightful city of Marrakech, Morocco. Morocco is one of the most moderate Muslim nations, yet it isn’t a place where you would organize large scale protests against the government if the impulse struck you.

Skating on my rollerblades through the medina (the old walled city) is a great way to start up conversations here, and Moroccans I am meeting want to talk about the images they are seeing on TV.

Most people I’ve met are exhilarated about the concept of autocratic and dictatorial regimes no longer being able to completely control the message. They are aware that many of the world’s nations operate under the axiom that if you don’t allow bad news to get out, then you don’t have any bad news.

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Gary Tuchman | BIO
AC360 Correspondent

Over the last few weeks, I’ve interviewed a number of people who were not so happy to see me. I’ve also TRIED to interview some people who weren’t so happy to see me. These are folks the public relies on — police officers and district attorneys — but they’ve been accused of ethical and maybe criminal violations.

We’ve been reporting on the misuse of laws that allow police to take money and valuables from drivers in certain circumstances when they are suspected of committing serious crimes.

The “asset forfeiture” law is sound. The idea is to take “ill gotten gains” away from crooks, and to give the money to police departments and DA’s offices for the public good.

But we’ve gotten emails and calls from viewers all over the country telling us stories of overzealous police who’ve shaken down innocent drivers.

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Editor’s Note: Gary Tuchman is Keeping Them Honest on the Texas forfeiture law beat lately. He’s been visiting counties where law enforcement officials have allegedly misused public funds and state lawmakers have done nothing to stop them. Wait until you hear Gary’s report tonight. Cops in Kimble County seem to be making a lot of money off of pulling over drivers for speeding and other traffic violations. The cops then allegedly seize all cash and valuables from the driver’s car. The district attorney is supposed to use any seized funds for “official purposes.” But can a trip to Hawaii be considered an “official purpose?” Find out tonight at 10 p.m. ET.

Program Note: Tune in tonight to hear Gary Tuchman’s full report on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.

This isn't the first example of the discretionary use by Texas officials of public 'valuables.' Earlier this month, Gary Tuchman found another abuse of forfeiture laws in this town of Tenaha.

Gary Tuchman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent

Big salary bonuses are not only for Wall Street bankers. You too can get a big bonus if you work for your government! Well, put it this way, we now know there is precedent for it.

A former District Attorney in Texas has acknowledged to us that he paid hundreds of thousands of dollars over a period of eight years to three of his secretaries. He calls it a “stipend,” but for secretaries who made between $40,000 – $50,000 in base salary each year, the former DA acknowledges it might have amounted to a doubling or even more of their salaries.

Joe Frank Garza told me they deserved the money because “they were loyal…my eyes and ears in the community..(and they) watched my back.” And he is very comfortable with what he did.

But lots of other people, including the District Attorney who beat Garza in his re-election battle, are stunned by the admission. You see, the money comes from criminals and accused criminals. Texas, like many other states, has forfeiture laws.

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In 1994, Billy Joe Best, then 16, ran away to avoid having chemotherapy. This report was filed by CNN’s Gary Tuchman. Authorities believe a Best could be traveling with 13-year-old Daniel Hauser and his mother. The Hausers fled New Ulm, Minn., after a court-ordered medical exam showed his Hodgkin’s lymphoma had worsened.

Editor’s Note: Tune in tonight to watch Gary Tuchman’s full report on AC360

Gary Tuchman
AC360° Correspondent

Morehouse College is a very prestigious school. It’s website describes the school as “the best college in the nation for educating African-Americans.”

When you graduate from the all male school, you have brothers who will watch your back for life. That’s why this particular tale is so troubling. Because we know at least two of the students won’t be so fond of looking after each other in the future because one of them shot the other with a gun.

The chairs are already set up for Saturday’s commencement at Morehouse. About 500 men will graduate. One of the students about to get his degree is Joshua Brandon Norris. He is the guy who fired the gun; three times as a matter of fact at a student named Rashad Johnson. And that’s the twist here.

Because he was shot, Rashad Johnson is no longer a Morehouse student. Johnson was hurt physically and emotionally and decided to go back to his family in California to recuperate. And then found out that even though Norris pleaded no contest to shooting him, the college decided to allow him to continue being a Morehouse student. And that came after a most unusual court sentencing.

Even though Norris faced the possibility of 20 years in prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, the prosecutor cut a deal with him. Plead no contest, and we will give you probation, a fine, community service, and a demand that you finish college. The shooter accepted the deal and went back to Morehouse, while his victim was no longer a “Morehouse Man.”

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Program Note: Tune in tonight for an update on Gary Tuchman’s piece on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.

CNN’s Gary Tuchman reports on drivers who say they have pulled over and robbed by cops.

Program Note: Tune in tonight for Gary Tuchman’s full report on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.

A sign in Tenaha, Texas where more than 150 African Americans and Latinos have accused police officers of pulling them over for minor infractions and taking their valuables.

A sign off of the Tenaha highway in Shelby County, Texas.

Gary Tuchman
AC360° Correspondent

The speed limit through the center of the tiny town of Tenaha, Texas is 35 miles per hour. I made sure when I drove there that my speedometer never even got to 36. Too many negative things have happened to too many drivers after being pulled over for infractions as minor as that.

The allegations against law enforcement people in Tenaha and in Shelby County, Texas are the kind of allegations you’ve heard about people in Cuba, North Korea, and the former Soviet Union. People in charge are accused of manipulating laws, blackmailing, extorting, and not giving a you know what about civil rights and common decency.

Here’s the deal: at least 150 drivers, virtually all of them African Americans or Latinos have accused the town cops of pulling them over for minor infractions. Once pulled over, the drivers are often asked if they have money. If they say yes, these drivers tell us the cops start going through the car. If police find a lot of money, they are often arrested for money laundering, with no mention of any evidence other than the money. Once they are brought to jail, they find out about a proposed deal from the cops, and often from the District Attorney of the county.

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Program Note: Tune in tonight for Gary Tuchman’s full report on AC360° at 10 p.m. ET.

Roderick Daniels of Tennessee says a Texas police officer tried on his jewelry in front of him.

Gary Tuchman and Katherine Wojtecki
AC360°

Roderick Daniels was traveling through East Texas in October 2007 when, he says, he was the victim of a highway robbery.

The Tennessee man says he was ordered to pull his car over and surrender his jewelry and $8,500 in cash that he had with him to buy a new car.

But Daniels couldn’t go to the police to report the incident.

The men who stopped him were the police.

Daniels was stopped on U.S. Highway 59 outside Tenaha, near the Louisiana state line. Police said he was driving 37 mph in a 35 mph zone. They hauled him off to jail and threatened him with money-laundering charges — but offered to release him if he signed papers forfeiting his property.

“I actually thought this was a joke,” Daniels told CNN.

But he signed.

“To be honest, I was five, six hundred miles from home,” he said. “I was petrified.”

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CNN's Gary Tuchman trains like a SEAL in California.

Gary Tuchman
AC360° Correspondent

High in the mountains, about an hour east of San Diego, we get an idea of what it takes to be a U.S. Navy SEAL sniper. We don’t know the identities of the snipers who shot and killed the three pirates in the Indian Ocean, staying anonymous is part of the job. But we do know who is in charge of training SEAL snipers for three years. Brandon Webb now owns a company that focuses on law enforcement training, but between 2003 and 2006 he was in charge of curriculum for the snipers.

He entrusts me with an M-4 sniper rifle, puts me on a range, and gives me basic tips about how to become an expert sniper.

We’re 100 yards from the “kill” target, somewhat farther than the distance between the vessels in the Indian Ocean drama. He lies on his stomach and takes more than two dozen shots, each one is a kill. He then gets me ready to try. Only shoot at the end of your respiratory cycle so the gun doesn’t move he tells me. Position your body comfortably. Look into the high powered scope and line up the crosshairs with the target. And then fire. To my surprise, I hit the target on my first shot. And my second. As a matter of fact, I hit the target almost every time. But, I am in a stress-free situation on solid ground. I also don’t have to keep my eye in the scope for hours on end. You take your eye away for a second and you can miss your target. The SEAL sniper training lasts three months and deals with countless variables and tense scenarios.

My training only lasted part of an easy day. But I left with a bit more understanding of what these snipers go through. It’s not just being a great marksman; it’s also having a temperment that is second to none.