Walt Disney, felon

[snopes]

Comment: I was looking over the rumors about Walt Disney, and I was
wondering if you had ever the the rumor that he was a convicted felon, and
that as such could not own land. Everything was in his brothers name due
to that fact. Funny thing about this rumor, I was TAUGHT it in college as
a fact.

[Not_Done_Living]

convicted felons can't own property in the US?

[SirKnight]

As far as I know ex convicts only lose their right to vote. Many ex-cons own land and live in houses on said land. I have never heard the rumor eluded to in the OP. All the land bought for Disney World was bought in another name, partially to keep the prices from being jacked up. The other reason was because Walt had learned from Disney Land. When people built up the area around Disney Land it limited him expanding the park. He didn't want that to happen again so he bought the land out in Florida.

[TrekkerScout]

Originally Posted by SirKnight

As far as I know ex convicts only lose their right to vote.

Besides losing the right to vote, felons may be excluded from holding certain jobs, obtaining licenses, purchasing/possessing firearms/ammunition, and running for public offices. These rights and privileges may be reinstated in many states either automatically (after a set period of time) or by petition depending on the individual state's laws.

Nowhere have I ever heard or seen a case where a convicted felon was denied the right to own property. However, it is common for properties to be seized and sold in order to pay restitution to the victims.

[bufungla]

Originally Posted by TrekkerScout

Besides losing the right to vote, felons may be excluded from holding certain jobs, obtaining licenses, purchasing/possessing firearms/ammunition, and running for public offices. These rights and privileges may be reinstated in many states either automatically (after a set period of time) or by petition depending on the individual state's laws.

Thus the standard correction G. Gordon Liddy gives on his radio show whenever callers ask him about his gun collection:

"Sir, I am a convicted felon and as such am not allowed to own firearms. Mrs. Liddy, on the other hand, has quite an extensive gun collection ...."