Law Times

Page 16 September 23, 2013 Law Times • u The u Bizarre Briefs InsIde story By Viola James ROBBER CAUGHT WITH PANTS DOWN ORLANDO, Fla. — Baggy pants might be fashionable, but they're not practical when it comes to committing robbery. It's a lesson an alleged robber might want to take to heart. According to Reuters, a robber who was running away from a Florida church with his hands full of loot was caught when his baggy pants started slipping off. A police spokeswoman said the man, Anthony Jason Garcia, 31, had been praying in the sanctuary of a large Catholic church near Walt Disney World when he arose, went into the gift shop, grabbed the cash drawer, and ran toward the courtyard with church maintenance director Joe Larkin in pursuit. As they ran, Garcia's baggy pants began to fall down, said Orange County sheriff 's spokeswoman Jane Watrel. "So here Garcia is, both hands holding the cash drawer and trying to pull up his pants. So he [Larkin] sees an opening," Watrel said. "He plunges for him and pulls his pants down further which trips up the guy." Larkin put Garcia in a wrestling hold called a "cradle" until deputies arrived a few minutes later, Watrel said. She said 12 customers and four clerks were present at the Mary, Queen of the Universe Shrine during the robbery, but most of them didn't immediately notice what was happening because Garcia was so quiet and didn't use a weapon. According to Reuters, police arrested Garcia on a felony robbery charge. Church officials say the church gift shop is the largest in the southeastern United States. MAN CHARGED WITH HORSE DUI BOULDER, Colo. — After all of those years warning people about drinking and driving, it appears some people don't realize the law applies to horseback riding. According to Reuters, police arrested a Colorado man riding a horse to his brother's wedding far away in Utah for drunk driving, animal cruelty, and other charges after witnesses reported him blocking traffic and hitting his horse. University of Colorado police officers took Patrick Schumacher, 45, into custody after they found him visibly intoxicated, said police spokesman Ryan Huff. Huff said Schumacher was co-operative but failed a field sobriety test and a search of his saddlebag turned up a small pistol and several beer cans. A small pug dog named Bufford was in his backpack. "This is pretty unusual," said Huff. "It's probably the first time in department history that we have pulled someone over for driving under the influence while on a horse." According to Reuters, police arrested Schumacher on misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty, prohibited use of weapons, and reckless endangerment, as well as drunken horseback riding, which is a traffic infraction. When asked by officers why he hit the horse, Schumacher said he was swatting a fly on its head, said Huff. Witnesses had told police the horse was rearing up in traffic. The Humane Society of Boulder Valley sheltered Schumacher's horse, named Dillon, and his dog overnight. Schumacher reunited with Dillon and Bufford after his release from custody, said Huff. Shortly thereafter, he rode off on the horse, with Bufford in his backpack, telling officers he was again en route to his brother's wedding in Bryce, Utah, said Huff. Schumacher told police he'd lost his driver's licence, so he decided to make the trip to his brother's wedding on horseback, according to Huff. "We took him at his word," said Huff. LT "Hi everybody! I'm the new integrity commissioner around here! Could you please direct me to some integrity for me to commission?" MIKE HARRIS JOINS FASKENS Former Ontario premier Mike Harris has switched law firms by joining Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Harris will serve as a senior business adviser at Faskens. "Mike Harris is very well respected in the business community and together with his background in politics and government, Mike will offer an unparalleled level of insight and experience to our clients," said Martin Denyes, regional managing partner for Mike Harris Faskens in Ontario. Harris had previously been at Cassels Brock & Blackwell LLP, a firm that also included one of his old political adversaries, former Liberal premier David Peterson. At Faskens, Harris will again be colleagues with an old political adversary as former NDP leader Howard Hampton has joined the firm since his retirement from the Ontario legislature. PARALEGAL REFUGEE PILOT LAUNCHED Legal Aid Ontario is launching a pilot program to provide refugees with assistance from a full-time, in-house paralegal at a Toronto legal clinic. The program will operate from the Rexdale Community Legal Clinic. The paralegal, working under the supervision of two refugee lawyers, will provide services such as interviewing claimants, preparing basis-ofclaim forms, helping gather evidence, and representing clients at hearings before the refugee protection division of the Immigration and Refugee Board. "LAO recognizes that licensed paralegals can provide a wide range of cost-effective, efficient, quality services to refugee claimants," said Jawad Kassab, LAO's executive lead for refugee transformation. LAO will assess the project after a year. Internet," said OBA president Pascale Daigneault. "It will change the way we engage with our members, the profession, and the public." OBA WEB SITE REVAMPED The Ontario Bar Association is upgrading its web site to make it easier for people to find lawyers. The new Find-a-Lawyer application allows people to search for a lawyer who's an OBA member according to name, firm, location, language spoken, and area of practice. The application will then display the results on a Google map with a listing of the contact details. The new web site will also provide volunteers and section members with forums for discussions on practice issues and other matters. "The new OBA web site was built for the social age of the MCLACHLIN TO LEAD SIR JOHN A. WALK Supreme Court Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin will lead a Sir John A. Macdonald-themed walk this week in Kingston, Ont. "We are honoured that Chief Justice McLachlin has graciously agreed to lead our Sir John A. walk later this month," said Arthur Milnes, commissioner of the Sir John A. Macdonald Bicentennial Commission. The tour of downtown Kingston takes place Sept. 27. The event is part of the commission's efforts to raise awareness of the 2015 bicentennial of Macdonald's birth. LT THINK-TANK NAMES NEW COUNSEL The Centre for International Governance Innovation has appointed Aaron Shull as its counsel and corporate secretary. Shull, an expert in international, regulatory, and environmental law, primarily researches issues related to cyber security and Internet governance. Currently, he's looking at the intersection between global copyright law and reform of Internet governance. He's also exploring the legality of cyber espionage. Shull takes on the new role just a few years after his call to the bar in 2009. The centre itself is a non-partisan think-tank on international governance that has existed since 2001. CANADIAN LAW LIST 2013 YOUR INSTANT CONNECTION TO CANADA'S LEGAL NETWORK Visit carswell.com or call 1.800.387.5164 for a 30-day no-risk evaluation Inside you will find: MORE THAN A PHONE BOOK Untitled-1 1 www.lawtimesnews.com 13-07-05 10:03 AM

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