Articles Posted in Extra Pulp

I don’t think retired teacher Margaret Lieder (age 58) or her partner, lawyer Larry Pierce (age 60) will be dialing either 411 or 911 anytime soon. When Ms. Lieder accidentally dialed “911” and promptly hung up, the police called back. Even though she told them it was a mistake, they told her officers were being dispatched anyway.

When the police arrived, Ms. Lieder would not let them in, and again told them that everything was fine. When their guest left, three more police officers arrived. (Things must be good in British Columbia if this is all the police have to do!) Then things got really crazy. The police broke down the door and arrested both Ms. Lieder and Mr. Pierce. In the process Mr. Pierce suffered cracked ribs, among other injuries. These incredibly dangerous suspects (Margaret “Crazy Fingers” Lieder and Larry “Judo Lawyer” Pierce) were handcuffed and taken to the station. They were kept in jail overnight! When they were taken to court the next day, they were let go before they even got to a judge, without ever being charged! Well, I guess they had learned their lesson! (or the police realized they couldn’t come up with any charges!)

Now maybe the police will learn their lesson, as they have been sued for assault, battery, trespassing, false arrest, false imprisonment, illegal search and abuse of authority.

A Chinese company called “Beijing Lunar Village Aeronautics and Technology Co Ltd,” but operating as the “Lunar Embassy to China,” offered land on the moon at the low, low price of 298 yuan (about $40) per acre. And just in case you need to check up on your plot, this ambitious company also registered to engage in space travel.

According to the company’s CEO, Li Jie, they sold 49 acres to 34 clients in the first 3 days of operations! Unfortunately for the Lunar Embassy, a Beijing court shut it down, citing a 1983 treated signed by China. The treaty provides that

outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies, is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by other means… The exploration and use of outer space shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interests of all countries.

Snap! Naturally, with such a solid claim, the Lunar Embassy appealed … and lost again. The Chinese government revoked their business license, fined them 50,000 yuan (about $6,250 dollars), and ordered that the investors be refunded their money.

And how is it that trial lawyers get so much bad press?

Psychiatrist Juan Ernest Tejeda Rosario was charged with sexual abuse, sexual impropriety, and “disgraceful, dishonourable and unprofessional conduct. The allegation made by two patients (of 15 and 16 years) include:

Tying a rope around the patient’s genitals and leading him around the office;

Penetrating the patient with objects, including a riding whip and a toilet brush;

Piercing the patient’s penis and genitals with a needle;

Engaging in intercourse with a patient while the man put his head in the toilet;

Having the patients perform oral sex on him and masturbate him;

Having the patients masturbate in front of him;

Paying $3,000 to one of the patient’s girlfriend (who was also his patient!) to keep her quiet.

So what do you think happened at the disciplinary proceeding, scheduled to last 16 days?

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The contest put on by Sacramento radio station KDND was called “Hold your wee for a Wii.” Eighteen contestants drank lots of water over a 4-hour period. They would be disqualified if they urinated. Contestant Jennifer Strange drank almost 2 gallons of water, then began to experience headaches and disorientation. So she dropped out of the contest and went home.

SHE DIED THAT DAY – from water intoxication. Her family has sued the radio station, among others (Click here to see the lawsuit on The Smoking Gun).

What about criminal responsibility? Do you think anyone involved is being prosecuted for this? Nope. The District Attorney decided not to charge anyone at the station because Ms. Strange could have stopped anytime, and because “there were no observable indications or symptoms that [she] was experiencing a serious medical emergency…”

Winnipeg attorney Ingrid Chen was caught on tape telling the head of a biker gang that she wanted her clients attacked or even “dead.” He also told Ms. Chen that “the first visit is a nice visit. After that, if I have to break legs, I break legs.” Ms. Chen’s lawyer said that she just made a “few stupid mistakes.”

Queen’s Bench Justice Greenberg disagreed, stating that Ms. Chen “took professional misconduct to a whole new level.” Said the Justice, “Not surprisingly, there is no case law on how to deal with a lawyer who hires a thug to collect money from her clients.”

Ms. Chen was convicted of extortion, sentenced to 18 months in jail, and taken away in handcuffs. Quite a disappointment for her, as she was seeking to avoid jail altogether.

American Airlines Pilot James Yates showed up at the Manchester, England airport for the Manchester- to-Chicago flight. Yes he was a little late, and DRUNK! Almost 8 times the legal limit.

It seems that Mr. Yates had been out drinking with his two co-pilots the night before. He visited at least 4 pubs before returning to his hotel. He then took a sedative around midnight. He was awakened at 9:00 a.m. the next morning by his captain’s banging on the door. But what about that bottle of Irish whiskey he had purchased the day before? One-third of it was gone! Mr. Yates said he had no memory of drinking it.

When he arrived at the airport, Yates could not find his security pass. He smelled strongly of alcohol and had a red face. Hmmmmm. He was charged with carrying out an activity ancillary to an aviation function while over the drink limit.

HIs trial lasted three days. Testifying for Mr. Yates were senior American Airlines executives, and Brigadier General Thomas Botchie, who was a fighter pilot with Mr. Yates. The defense theory was a good one – he never intended to fly. He went to the airport (in full uniform) to tell his captain that he was unable to fly. Did the jury believe him?

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A California (you were thinking Idaho?) patrolman attended a transvestite party where he paid an entrance fee of between $50-$100 with the expectation of receiving sexual gratification. Damned if he wasn’t getting his money’s worth – participating in sexual acts – when the police raided the party and caught him in the act!

When the party was raided, what do you think happened to Patrolman Warren?

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Ms. Kirkland works at Morton’s of Chicago as the catering manager, where her boss is Mr. Hickey, the restaurant manager. According to the court, there is no genuine dispute as to the following (in other words, “it’s true”):

that Hickey told Kirkland that she “needed to get laid”; that Hickey told Kirkland to “blow me”; that Hickey asked Kirkland out on a date, which she rejected, the most benign of Hickey’s acts; that Hickey called Kirkland a “fat pig”; that he placed his hand inside of Kirkland’s blouse; that he asked Kirkland about the color of her bra and whether it matched her panties; that he pulled up Kirkland’s dress; that he pulled his pants down and exposed his buttocks to Kirkland; that he put his hand all the way up Kirkland’s dress; and that he waved a vibrator at Kirkland and other women.

Quite the charmer. The test for whether he created a “hostile work environment is

whether a reasonable woman would find that Hickey’s conduct was sufficiently severe or pervasive to alter the conditions of employment and create an abusive work environment.

What do you think? Is Hickey a sexual harasser?

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You would think this is not something any parent needs to be told. You would be wrong. A Staten Island, New York woman put her 3-year-old son in a running dryer. Prosecutors said that the child suffered burns and bruises on his nose, neck, forehead, ears, back and buttocks. As part of the plea deal, the woman was required to attend parenting-skills classes. She failed to attend them! So the judge sentenced her to 90 days in jail. You can read the entire story here.