Lawyer Seriously Injured After Bomb Explodes At Firm
Be careful out there, lawyers; we bet you didn't know your job could be so dangerous.
It’s common knowledge that many people hate lawyers, and some people even wish them dead. Perhaps they received a bad result as a client, or perhaps the bills were simply too high; whatever the case may be, some people hate lawyers so much that they’re willing to commit murder to avenge all of their grievances.
This seems to be what happened last Friday, when a mysterious package arrived at Canadian law firm Petersen King and was opened by Maria Mitousis, an associate at the firm who practiced family law. Upon opening the package, it exploded, blowing away part of Mitousis’s office, and very seriously injuring the attorney.
Here are some additional details from the Canadian Press:
Are Small Firms Going Big On Legal Tech?
Police said an officer who happened to be in the area arrived shortly after the call to find Mitousis suffering from serious upper-body injuries. Witnesses said they saw a woman being taken from the building.
“I went out and I see the woman coming out in a stretcher. She was covered in blood and everything on her face,” said [officer] Denis Michel Thibeault.
Mitousis was taken to hospital in critical condition, police said, adding that they believe she is undergoing surgery.
Mitousis reportedly lost one hand in the explosion, and according to an anonymous source who spoke to the Canadian Press, she is in danger of losing the other.
Police later arrested and charged Guido Amsel, 49, with two counts of attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault, and various weapons charges. It turns out that Mitousis represented Amsel’s ex-wife in their divorce, as well as in a protracted civil suit she brought against him. Police say that additional explosive devices were found and safely detonated at a local business and at Orle Barkman and Davidson, another firm that once represented Amsel’s ex-wife. The Global News has more information:
Police are concerned other packages have been sent to legal counsel or those who have dealt with Amsel. Police are warning the public to be extra cautious and to look for “distinctive writing” on the packages. The hand-written block letters appear to read “FROM … LARSEN AVE.”
“Police are imploring extreme caution if any suspicious packages are discovered,” a news release issued late Sunday said. “Please do not handle suspicious packages and contact police immediately.”
Sponsored
Are Small Firms Going Big On Legal Tech?
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
Profit Powerhouse: Elevating Law Firm Financial Performance
Early Adopters Of Legal AI Gaining Competitive Edge In Marketplace
We here at Above the Law would like to extend our condolences and sympathies to Maria Mitousis’s family, friends, and colleagues. Members of the Law Society of Manitoba have set up a GoFundMe page to assist with Mitousis’s recovery. They’ve already raised about $19,000 for her benefit. If you’d like to offer your monetary assistance, click here.
Be careful out there, lawyers; we bet you didn’t know your job could be so dangerous.
Winnipeg lawyer Maria Mitousis, 38, injured by bomb in law office [CBC News]
Police seek public’s help in solving blast that injured Winnipeg lawyer [CBC News]
Man charged in Winnipeg law office bombing, legal community on alert [Global News]
Woman Injured After Bomb Explodes at Canadian Law Firm [Associated Press]