Legal Juice

Why would you grow your weed outside and risk discovery when you can grow it in your house ... er houses? As an added bonus, you can grow it year round. That's exactly what some folks in New Jersey figured. Per nj.com:

Police uprooted a multimillion-dollar network of homes used to grow marijuana in the largest bust of pot production in New Jersey history... Within three days last month, police seized a total of 3,370 growing plants, 115 pounds of harvested pot and $65,000 cash.

Authorities said the total operation was worth $10 million based on potential output per plant.

Shazam! That's a serious operation. But what about the juice? No, not me, the electricity required to grow all that weed. Isn't that how they catch these folks?

The suspects also bypassed electrical meters to conceal how much power the homes were concealing and steal electricity.

Clever. So what brought this thing down? A lucky break.

The investigation started accidentally on Feb. 17 when Monroe Township Police Officer Thomas Lucasiewicz smelled marijuana coming from the chimney of a home on Spotswood-Englishtown Road. When he knocked, Thu N. Nguyen opened the door, and Lucasiewicz smelled unusable pot plants being burned in the fireplace, authorities said.

Nguyen was arrested and police found 1,064 pot plants growing in the basement and master bedroom.

That was only the beginning, and the bust led to search warrants for five more rented houses in four other towns: Millstone, Old Bridge, Manalapan and Manahawkin.

Five of the homes were being used to grow marijuana. One of the suspects lived in a sixth home, on Hidden Court in Old Bridge, where police seized $60,000 cash and vacuum bags used to package the pot.

You can read more (a fair amount) here.

I'm guessing you now know why Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd might care about a traffic sign ... Yup, because the sign was reprogrammed to say:

KEVIN RUDD SUCKS

The Juice is amused. The police, not so much. As reported by The Daily Telegraph:

Police are baffled how they did it but the Prime Minister definitely has a problem in Rose Bay - with a large illuminated traffic sign sending the message: "Kevin Rudd sucks".

The sign, which dramatically appeared overnight on New South Head Road, has proven a traffic stopper.

Locals have been stopping their cars to take photographs - and the sign caused such a distraction that the police were called in at 3am today.

Working hard to preserve the Prime Minister's honour, the dedicated police officers took to the power box powering the sign with bolt cutters to turn off the lights.


Honour? Isn't that shown through deeds? Bolt cutters? Is that how the sign was going to be removed when the road work was done? Go figure. Source: The Daily Telegraph

Getting kicked there hurts. How about getting shot there?

A Vallejo teenager allegedly shot himself in the testicles Thursday afternoon, police said.

Police said the 17-year-old, whose name is being withheld because he's a minor, walked into Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center at about 5:45 p.m. with a gunshot wound.

The gun is still outstanding, police said, and the teen has not been cooperative.


Cooperation is probably not at the forefront of this kid's mind right now... Source:
The Oakland Tribune/Times-Herald

Talk about pushing your luck. This is from the Colorado Springs Police Blotter:

Summary: Burglar alarm tripped at 7:25 PM at Dublin address, which is a medical marijuana dispensary. Access made by breaking front, glass door. Suspect gone upon officer arrival. At approximately 7:45 PM a burglary alarm was tripped at 300 W. Garden of the Gods Road, which is also a medical marijuana dispensary. Access was gained by breaking a glass door on the east side of the building. Suspect was gone upon officer arrival.

Keep it rolling, right?

At approximately 8:10 PM a third burglary (in progress) was reported via phone, at 5030 Boardwalk Dr, which is also a medical marijuana dispensary. When officers arrived on scene they found a suspect detained by victim and witness. Evidence found on the suspect linked him to all three burglaries. Adults Arrested: Gary Harrison, Age 45

Doh!

The Juice won't take all the credit. But ... it has been reported that the South Carolina legislature is considering repealing an insane law requiring subversives to register with the state (and pay a $5 fee!) "... since bloggers picked up on it ..." Here's The Juice's post on this fine law.

South Carolina legislators are looking to repeal a 1951 McCarthy-era law that requires anyone who plans to overthrow the government to register their activities.

Pickens Sen. Larry Martin said Monday the law meant to deter "Reds" has been one more thing making South Carolina look bad since bloggers picked up on it last month and incorrectly said it passed last year.

The "subversive activities registration act" requires any group that advocates controlling or overthrowing the government to pay $5 to file with the state, or face up to a $25,000 fine and 10 years in prison.

A spokeswoman for the secretary of state said that, until February, no one had registered. Now, about 10 have filed, apparently in jest.

A bill to repeal the law is up for debate in a Senate panel this week.

Here's the source, wciv.com.

Check this out, from The New Straits Times (Malaysia):

SEBERANG JAYA: A 35-year-old man involved in alleged khalwat (close proximity) found himself stuck on the roof of a house before he was arrested.

The man had earlier tried to evade a raid by the state Religious Affairs Department by jumping from an apartment unit in Jalan Tuna into an adjacent house at 3.30am on Thursday.

State Islamic Religious Affairs Department assistant operation chief Ibrahim Md Jaki said, however, the man's legs were stuck among the roof tiles after he jumped from the third floor of the apartment.

Ibrahim said the man tried to regain entry into the apartment by clinging to the balcony railings, but could not do so.

"We had no choice but to summon the Fire and Rescue Department personnel to rescue him." The team also detained the man's girlfriend who had locked herself inside a room in the apartment.

Yes, it was a raid by the "Religious Affairs Department." So what exactly is "khalwat?" To find out, click here.

Sounds like something from a movie. Wait, it was in a movie ... As reported by The Mirror:

A woman tunnelled out of jail using a spoon.

The attractive un-named 35-year-old - doing 18 years for trying to murder her sister-in-law - was called "a dish" by local newspapers.

Her lawyer Ludo Hameleers said: "She would have been released in 18 months. She just couldn't wait."

The woman, who had served 12 years, dug the 30ft tunnel from a cellar of her Dutch jail, hid the soil in her trouser legs and then sprinkled it around the yard - a ruse straight from classic PoW tale The Great Escape.

Here's the source.

The Juice enjoys the occasional game of chance. But not if it's going to end this way ... As reported by the Palm Beach Post News:

Anthony Lindsey, 18, of Belle Glade ... is charged with attempted first degree murder, attempted robbery and aggravated battery, all with a firearm, in a December assault on Edenson Major, 20, of Belle Glade, authorities said.

According to a Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office arrest affidavit, a dispute arose after Lindsey and Major played a game of dice on the afternoon of Dec. 1. Major told investigators that Lindsey became upset when he lost $80 to Major, as well as monies to others.

$80?!

Lindsey left the game and later returned with a 9mm handgun, the affidavit said. He approached Major and said 'gimme back my money' and then pulled out the gun and started shooting. The group playing the game fled the area and Lindsey chased Major down the street as he continued shooting.

Here's the source.

Folks in Valentine, Nebraska can now breathe a huge sigh of relief because the Butt Bandit has been arrested. It's not clear why they call him the Butt Bandit since neither his butt, nor any other part of him, ever stole anything. To the contrary, he actually leaves something behind [bad pun, I know], his butt (and/or groin) prints in vaseline or lotion. As reported in The North Platte Bulletin:

The rash of bizarre behavior began in May 2007. Valentine police already had fielded about 20 different reports by this time a year ago.

Rewards offered through Crime Stoppers failed to provide any leads. No physical structure has been damaged, although producing the printings probably involved indecent exposure, officials believe.

The charges? They haven't been filed yet - perhaps because they're tring to come up with the crime? Criminal vaselining? First-degree buttprinting? Here's the source.

Serious cojones? Who knows what the owner of this pastry shop in Taipei, Taiwan is thinking ...

So you get popped in the face. Why wouldn't you call the cops? Well, it depends on who's doing the popping, and who gets popped. Per the San Diego Union Tribune:

A man who was busy robbing his elderly victim Saturday became so upset when a bystander tried to break up the crime by punching him in the face that he called police to report an assault.

Brilliant!

Once [the police] put two and two together, police officers located the 83-year-old victim, who confirmed the crime, and arrested the 43-year-old man for suspected elder abuse and robbery, said San Diego police Officer David Stafford.

Police were called at 4 p.m. to Akins Avenue at 62nd Street near a trolley station, where the robber had the elderly man pinned against a wall and was rifling through his pockets when the bystander interrupted the crime, Stafford said.

Here's to the unnamed "bystander" who didn't just "stand by."

As you can see from yesterday's post, folks have not been happy with McDonald's lately. A woman at a McDonald's in Kansas City just LOST it over her hamburger order. As reported by KMBC-TV:

On Dec. 27, a woman at the McDonald's at 3255 Main St. was upset about her order and returned her hamburger twice, demanding her money back.

Surveillance video showed that the woman started throwing things. She grabbed a water dispenser and dumped it on the counter. She also shoved a cookie container and several cash registers off the counter and threw a "Wet Floor" sign at the clerk.

When the clerk said she was going to call police, the woman fled the restaurant.

You can see the surveillance video here.

This woman either had a serious case of the munchies, is just filled with rage, or is an alien sent to earth specifically to gather chicken nuggets. As reported by WNWO in Toledo, Ohio:

Toledo Police say Melodi Dushane, 24, stopped at the fast-food restaurant at Front and Main Streets in East Toledo early Friday morning and asked for chicken nuggets. When the drive-thru attendant told her the restaurant was only serving breakfast and that the item was not available, Dushane reached through the window and punched the attendant in the mouth.

Talk about shooting the messenger ... But that's not all ...

After a night manager came to the window, Dushane began swinging her fists at her. The manager attempted to pull Dushane through the window by her hair. After being released, Dushane then punched through the drive-thru's glass window.

Damn!

Dushane was treated at Mercy St. Charles Hospital for her injuries and then incarcerated at the Lucas County Jail.

In court on Saturday, Dushane pleaded not guilty to a felony vandalism charge. She was released from police custody on her own recognizance and is scheduled to be in court next on Jan. 28.

Think she'll be going back to that McDonald's anytime soon? Nope.

A judge has ordered that Dushane not visit the 90 Main St. McDonald's location again.

That leaves about 12,803 other McDonald's (in the U.S. - really) that she is free to visit... Here's the source, including a photo of Ms. Dushane.

Yes, folks, this bird is protected by the Constitution, as the City of Pittsburgh learned the hard way. Back in 2006, David Hackbart (of Butler, Pennsylvania) flipped off a cop, and got a disorderly conduct citation. He fought it, hard. Per the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Pittsburgh City Council initially approved today a $50,000 settlement for a lawsuit filed by a Butler County man who gave the middle finger to a motorist and a police officer in 2006.

The officer cited him for disorderly conduct. The county eventually dropped the charge, but Hackbart sued to recover the cost of defending himself. U.S. District Judge David S. Cercone ruled in March that the officer violated Hackbart's First Amendment right to free speech.

You can read more bird-flipping stories here, here, here, and here

Sure, you might wield a gun. You might scream. How about barking like a dog? From The Athens Banner-Herald:

A Simmons Street woman scared off a would-be burglar about 11 p.m. Saturday by acting like a dog, an Athens-Clarke police report said.

When a suspicious man tried turning the woman's door knob, she got on the floor and began scratching at the door and acting like a large dog, police said, though what dog-like behaviors she specifically mimicked remains unknown.

Talk about thinking on your feet (all four of them) ...

The man, who wore an olive jacket and appeared to be homeless, quickly ran from the porch, according to the report. Police searched the neighborhood for him, but to no avail.

Who needs a dog when you can just imitate one? (Dog people - please - no hate mail!)

Most of us have had a few too many a few times. But this dude sets a new standard for public intoxication (of some sort).

UFB right? I'd really like like to know the backstory (and the frontstory [?]) on this guy.

The name police, in addition to residing in Sweden, also reside in Australia. Today's installment involves a couple who wanted to name their child "Ned Kelly." If you're wondering why that name would be a problem, click here for more information on this notorious Australian. Per The Daily Telegraph:

The [New South Wales] Registry [of Births, Deaths and Marriages] can reject a name for a number of reasons under the Registration Act 1995. Reasons include that the name might be obscene or offensive, is too long or includes ``symbols without phonetic significance.''

And if the Registry thinks a name is a problem but it doesn't fit in any of the offending categories, check out this catch-all provision:

The Act also bans ... names ``contrary to the public interest for some other reason.''

That seems to cover EVERYTHING! Here are a few other names that shared Ned Kelly's fate:

- Post Master General

- Chief Maximus

- Jesus Christ

- a blank space

- the child's Medicare number

- the number seven

Check out these names that made the grade:

- God Bless

- Metallica

- Fully Hektik Sik

Here's the source.

Maybe McDonald's has sold over 100 billion burgers, but McCurry (Malaysian Chicken Curry) wouldn't be intimidated. As reported by the BBC News:

The American fast-food giant McDonald's has lost an eight-year legal battle to prevent a Malaysian restaurant calling itself McCurry.

Talk about David vs. Goliath.

McCurry opened for business in Kuala Lumpur in 1999, and serves Indian dishes, including fish head curry and breads including tandoori naan.

So it was McDonald's (with over 30,000 "restaurants" worldwide, including 180 in Malaysia) against 1 McCurry. With the end of the litigation, McCurry looks to change that.

"We can now go ahead with whatever we plan to do such as opening new branches," [McCurry owner P Suppiah] said.

Here's the source.

Great. Just what the world needs - another reason for iPhone users to brag about their beloved phones. You can bet that Carnegie Mellon University student Can Duruk will be talking it up. He was mugged the other day in Pittsburgh. Per ThePittsburghChannel.com:

Police said two men flashed what looked like a gun at Can Duruk and demanded his wallet, PIN and iPhone early Saturday morning in the 400 block of Amberson Avenue.

Should have let him keep the iPhone, or at least turned it off. Why?

He got on his computer and tracked his iPhone using its global positioning satellite chip. The feature allows users to pinpoint the location of their phone if it's ever lost or stolen.

Doh!

Police officers tracked the three suspects to an Eat N' Park in North Versailles, where police arrested the men.

Police said Brent Potter and Bryant Rather will be charged with robbery, and Myron Knox Jr. will also face charges related to using stolen credit cards.

Duruk got most of his belongings back.

Here's the full story, including photos and a video.