Burger King Sued Over Marijuana in Officers' Burgers
By Tim Korte/
Associated Press
Two New Mexico police officers have sued Burger King Corp., alleging personal
injury, negligence, battery and violation of fair practices after they
were served hamburgers that had been sprinkled with marijuana.
"It gives a
whole new meaning to the word 'Whopper,''' plaintiffs attorney Sam Bregman
said Monday. "The idea that these hoodlums would put marijuana into a
hamburger and therefore attempt to impair law enforcement officers trying
to do their jobs is outrageous.''
The civil
lawsuit was filed Friday in state District Court in Bernalillo County by
Mark Landavazo and Henry Gabaldon, officers for the Isleta Pueblo tribal
police.
Officials at
Miami-based Burger King declined comment, citing a company policy against
discussing pending litigation.
The lawsuit
says the officers were in uniform and riding in a marked patrol car when
they purchased meals through the drive-through lane Oct. 8 at a Burger
King restaurant in Los Lunas, N.M.
The officers ate
about half of their burgers before discovering marijuana on the meat. They
used a field test kit to confirm the substance was pot, then went to a
hospital for medical evaluations.
Three Burger
King employees Justin Armijo, 19; Robert Nuckols, 21; and manager Joseph
Ledesma, 33 were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and
aggravated battery on an officer, a felony. They subsequently were
indicted.
The lawsuit
seeks punitive and compensatory damages to be determined at trial, along
with legal costs.
The
incident has been publicized in late-night television jokes by comedian
Jay Leno and others, and Bregman acknowledged the situation "seems
somewhat humorous'' at first glance. But he also called it "deadly
serious.''
"God forbid these
officers didn't realize their burgers were laced with pot and then
were called to a violent situation where they'd have
to draw their firearms,'' Bregman said. "Their lives were placed in danger
because of these idiots and Burger
King.''
