Page 18 - IAV Digital Magazine #471

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Pepsi Registers Its Objection To Maui Judge’s Sentencing Suggestion In Tweet
Pepsi objected in a tweet Friday to a Maui County judge’s sugges- tion to a car theft defendant to refrain from drink- ing the soft drink.
The tweet begins “We Object!”
“Your Honor. In a recent hearing, you suggested that someone not drink Pepsi for four years. Let’s be clear:
“Stealing cars is not OK. However, Pepsi is more
than OK.”
Second Circuit Judge Rhonda Loo made the suggestion while sentencing Christopher Montilliano Jr., 21, on March 22. He had pleaded no contest to unauthorized control of a pro- pelled vehicle and driving with- out a license.
Montilliano was arrested June 12 for stealing a 1990 Honda Accord from Uptown Texaco in
Wailuku. He told police he
was going
to the store to buy soda when he was caught driving a stolen car.
Noting that Montilliano
had “told various fibs, various lies,” Loo said that the defen- dant told police that his cousin had allowed him to drive the car and that he was going to Foodland Kehalani to buy soda — even
though the Texaco from where the car was stolen sold soft drinks.
“You didn’t want to admit that you actually stole the vehicle,” Loo told Montilliano. “Is it because the soda made you do it?”
Later, the judge asked Montilliano what kind of soda he was addicted to and he said Pepsi.
“It’s the Pepsi deprivation syn- drome,” she said
in suggesting he refrain from drink- ing the soft drink.
Montilliano was sentenced to four years’ probation and no additional jail time. He spent seven days in jail after his arrest, then another three months when he didn’t show up for his original sen- tencing date in November.
He also was ordered to per- form 100 hours of community serv- iceandtopaya
$100 fine.
“We’d like a sec- ond chance to prove we’re deli- cious beyond a reasonable doubt,” the tweet from @pepsi said. “We’re pre- pared to enter some Pepsi into evidence. We think you’ll find our case quite refreshing.
“Legally yours, Pepsi.”
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine