{"id":3714,"date":"2005-03-26T15:27:47","date_gmt":"2005-03-26T19:27:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/formerlyknownas\/2005\/03\/26\/bad-hare-day\/"},"modified":"2011-08-05T14:57:51","modified_gmt":"2011-08-05T18:57:51","slug":"bad-hare-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/ethicalesq\/2005\/03\/26\/bad-hare-day\/","title":{"rendered":"bad hare day"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

\n

More precisely:  Bad for the Hare Day<\/EM>.<\/FONT><\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
While most of us are thinking good thoughts about the Easter Bunny  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
and hoping to find a basketful of yummy candies in the morning, I<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
thought you should know that there are evil people about who are badly<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
abusing Easter bunnies and their non-sectarian cousins (and that’s not<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
even counting the rabbit stew and rabbit feet folk).<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
Thus, in Bay City, Michigan, on March 18, 2005, “A 13-year-old attacked <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
an 18-year-old portraying an Easter bunny in the center of a shopping mall, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
where the costume-clad man was waiting to pose for photos with children, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
authorities said.”  (AP\/<\/FONT>free press<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>, March 21, 2005)<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
<\/FONT> <\/DIV>
\n
But, that may have been a copycat crime:  The day before, right here in  \"chocBunnyF\"<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Schenectady County, a shopping mall Easter Bunny was also attacked.  <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
Don’t fear, though, it seems the culprit has been apprehended:: <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n

\n
“David C. Velasquez, 16, was charged with third-degree criminal <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
mischief, a felony, and second-degree harassment, a violation, for <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
a March 17 attack on the Rotterdam Square Mall Easter Bunny, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
police in Rotterdam announced Friday.

“Police said Velasquez jumped the bunny, causing $600 in damage <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
to the bunny’s suit. The man inside the suit, who has not been identified, <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
was uninjured. Police did not give a motive for the attack.”
<\/FONT><\/DIV><\/BLOCKQUOTE>
\n
(<\/FONT>Newsday<\/FONT><\/EM><\/A>, March 26, 2005, from <\/FONT><\/FONT>Schenectady Gazette<\/FONT><\/A>; and see <\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
CapitalNews9<\/FONT><\/A>)  I’m happy<\/FONT> to be in retirement and unavailable to represent<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
young Mr. Velasquez, no matter what his sad tale might be.  <\/FONT>Fedster<\/FONT><\/A> are you<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n
available?<\/FONT><\/DIV>
\n