Law Times

Page 16 May 13, 2013 Law Times • u The u Bizarre Briefs InsIde story By Viola James STRONG DRINK NOT OK FOR STARBUCKS MENU SAN JOSE, Calif. — Starbucks is famous for its strong beverages but it certainly didn't welcome a recent attempt to stock juice bottles with a deadly dose of rubbing alcohol at a California location. A northern California woman has been arrested on suspicion of spiking orange juice bottles with a deadly dose of rubbing alcohol and stocking the bottles at a Starbucks coffee shop, law enforcement officials allege. Ramineh Behbehanian, 50, was arrested at her San Jose home and booked into the Santa Clara County Jail on charges of attempted murder and poisoning, San Jose Police Sgt. Jason Dwyer said. Behbehanian is accused of carrying two bottles of tainted juice into a Starbucks outlet in San Jose, pulling them from her bag, and placing them in the display case of a cooler stocked with various beverages. A customer saw the woman and what appeared to be her suspicious behaviour and alerted the store's employees. According to Reuters, Behbehanian fled the shop when she overheard the conversation between the customer and employees. Another Starbucks patron followed Behbehanian outside and recorded the woman's licence plate as she drove away, Dwyer said. San Jose police and firefighters were called to the coffee shop, which was quickly evacuated. Hazardous materials inspectors tested the contents of the two bottles in question and found they contained a mixture of orange juice and isopropyl alcohol. "According to the fire department, both of the bottles contained a lethal dose of alcohol," Dwyer said. The store closed early to aid in the investigation and all of the bottled drinks in the display case were destroyed, said Starbucks spokesman Zack Hutson. All nearby Starbucks stores also were directed to check the seals on beverage bottles in their inventory as a precaution, but there was no evidence of additional tampering, he added. "We're immensely grateful to the vigilant customer who did the right thing by immediately alerting our store partners after witnessing the suspicious behaviour," said Hutson. Dwyer said a motive for the alleged tampering was under investigation. WOMAN CHARGED AFTER STALKING HERSELF ONLINE KENT COUNTY, Mich. — You know you're spending too much time on Facebook when you create fake profiles in order to stalk yourself on it. That's what police allege Cheryl Nelson, who was reportedly distraught over a breakup, did in a bid to cause trouble for her ex-boyfriend and his new lover. According to mlive.com, police say Nelson, 52, made repeated criminal complaints to the Kent County sheriff 's department about exboyfriend Kevin Haarsma and his new lover. Police allege she created false Facebook accounts to make it look like the new girlfriend was threatening her, mlive.com reported. "Nelson made [an] admission that she had been falsely reporting crimes because she was not able to let go of her relationship with Kevin," a police officer looking into the case wrote in a probable cause affidavit for Nelson's arrest. "Evidence shows that Nelson used her computer to set up false Facebook accounts using Kevin Haarsma's personal information. . . . Nelson used this account to make it appear that she was being stalked and harassed by Kevin's new girlfriend by posting threatening messages." According to mlive.com, Nelson made the complaints between November 2011 and last October. She claimed to be the victim of stalking, harassment, assault, and home invasion, mlive.com reported. She alleged the pair left threatening letters at her home. The complaints took a different turn after Haarsma reported threats and stalking by Nelson. Police then sought a search warrant on her home for computer equipment, according to mlive.com. Nelson is now facing charges of false report of a felony and unlawful posting of a message, mlive.com reported. LT "I'm not allowed to use excessive violence to protect my property but my assistant here, Mongo, does enjoy making citizen's arrests." LCO RESEARCH EFFORT LAUNCHED The Ontario government has asked the Law Commission of Ontario to look into how more people with mental and developmental disabilities could use the federal Registered Disability Savings Plan without costly assessment tests. The RDSP is a savings program for people with developmental and mental disabilities aimed at providing for future support. While parents can enrol their children in the RDSP, adults face long and expensive competency tests Bruce Elman before they can sign up for it. The law commission project will investigate how adults can use the program without the expensive competency assessments. "We are extremely pleased to be asked by the Ontario government to undertake this project," said Bruce Elman, chairman of the law commission's board of governors. "It reflects recognition of the high quality of the LCO's work and its contribution to law reform in the province." LAO BOOST FALLS SHORT: CLA The $30 million over three years allocated for Legal Aid Ontario in this year's Ontario budget doesn't do much to address a system that is "strained to a breaking point," according to Criminal Lawyers' Association president Norman Boxall. "Any increase for legal aid is welcome. However, given the extent to which it is underfunded, this allocation is not adequate," says Boxall. The May 2 budget notes the $30 million for Legal Aid Ontario is on top of the $150 million over four years allocated to it in 2009. "This funding will improve access to justice and enhance outcomes for low-income families, victims of domestic violence, and other vulnerable groups by strengthening the capacity of family law service centres and other community and legal clinics across Ontario to respond to evolving needs and ensure services are sustainable," the budget states. LAO spokesman Kristian Justesen only had praise for the new funding. "From LAO's perspective, this is a good day for access to justice in Ontario," he said. "This new investment will enhance outcomes for low-income families, victims of domestic violence, and other vulnerable groups." Overall, justice spending will decease by $57 million this year, according to the budget. The decline is primarily a result of "lower-than-expected costs related to municipal policing, lower overtime costs, and other internal efficiencies." Delays in buying courthouse furniture and equipment will also bring down capital expenses in the justice sector, according to the budget. The Ontario government also said it's implementing what it referred to as "transformative initiatives" in the justice system. They include "alternative financing to meet the capital infrastructure needs of Ontario's justice system," but the budget doesn't elaborate on what they entail. LAW SOCIETY STUDY ON RACIALIZED LICENSEES The Law Society of Upper Canada is asking racialized lawyers and paralegals to participate in a focus group on the challenges faced by minorities in the profession. The focus group is an extension of the work of a law society working group created last year to investigate the challenges facing racialized lawyers and paralegals and come up with strategies for inclusion. Lawyers and paralegals looking to participate in the working group must be in good standing. Information gathered during the focus group, which will take place in June, will be confidential and reports won't identify participants, the law society says. Interested lawyers and paralegals can register through the law society web site. LT The title insurer that puts you front row, centre Putting the legal community front and centre has made us the #1 choice with Canadian lawyers for over a decade. Stewart Title does not support programs that reduce or eliminate the lawyer's role in real estate transactions. For more information call (888) 667-5151 or visit www.stewart.ca. Untitled-2 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 7/19/11 12:31:45 PM

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