The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Wednesday, May 25, 2005  

WHO KNEW?
Fingertips Can Be Bought

Believe it or not, fingertips can be purchased, if not exactly on the open market, and for a mere 50 bucks.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports today (“Conspiracy Charge for Finger Case Spouse,” by Alan Gathright):

Jaime Placencia was charged Tuesday with conspiring with his wife, Anna Ayala, to plant a fingertip in Wendy’s chili to squeeze the fast-food giant for a financial settlement. […]

A police statement last week accused Placencia of buying the fingertip from an injured co-worker on Dec. 20 and saying he planned “to create a lawsuit by planting the finger in food at an undisclosed restaurant.”

The mother of the injured co-worker, Brian Paul Rossiter, whose ring finger was sheared off by a truck lift, told The Chronicle last week that her son gave it to Placencia to erase a $50 debt.

Placencia and Ayala now both stand charged with felony conspiracy and attempted grand theft for allegedly concocting the tainted-food claim and causing Wendy’s to lose millions of dollars from bad publicity. […]

Prosecutors have said Rossiter will not be charged because there is no evidence he participated in the alleged conspiracy.

So, if my finger were severed due to an accident, I, what, get to keep it? Would I be required to do so? Questions linger.

| HOME |

The Rittenhouse Review | Copyright 2002-2006 | PERMALINK |

CONTACT
BIO & STUFF
PUBLICATION NOTES
LINKS