Pubdate: Fri, 23 Jan 2004
Source: Mississauga News (CN ON)
Copyright: The Mississauga News 2004
Contact:  http://www.mississauganews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/268
Author: Louie Rosella
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

FAMILY SHOCKED ECSTACY KILLER GETS TWO YEARS

Boyfriend Called 9-1-1

A Mississauga man who gave a 17-year-old girl a deadly dose of ecstasy and 
then watched her die was sentenced this week to just two years in jail by a 
Superior Court judge.

Johnrex Bernandino, 31, was sentenced to serve two years less a day by 
Justice David Watt after pleading guilty Tuesday to criminal negligence 
causing death.

The judge heard that on Dec. 1, 2001, Bernandino administered two tablets 
of ecstasy to Nicole Malik, then failed to get the teenager medical 
assistance after she reeled backwards and vomited, hit her head on a wall, 
sunk into an unconscious state and had seizures, Crown prosecutor Calvin 
Barry told the court.

Malik's family members expressed disappointment with Tuesday's ruling, 
saying the teen was normally against drug use.

"I was not happy with the sentence," said Nicole's brother James. "He 
wasn't given enough time. The whole family's upset about it. It wasn't 
something that we were quite expecting."

James said his sister wanted to finish high school and become an architect.

The night Malik dies, she and a group of friends were at the Alpha Lounge 
in Toronto, an internet cafE on Bloor St. W. near Bathurst St.

Bernandino was the acting manager at the cafE on the morning of Malik's death.

Instead of calling for help as Malik was fighting for her life, Bernandino 
convinced the teen's friends and other patrons in the establishment that 
she was okay. He talked them out of calling 9-1-1, the judge was told.

A short time later, Malik was foaming at the mouth and slipping in and out 
of consciousness, court heard.

Bernandino's concern was that if an ambulance arrived, police would also be 
called "and trouble would follow," said Barry.

Malik's boyfriend, 19-year-old Paul Busch, finally called 9-1-1 and 
paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene from an apparent drug overdose.

Busch, too, was initially charged with criminal negligence causing death, 
but that charge was withdrawn in exchange for his testimony against 
Bernandino at a pending trial.

Barry said yesterday Bernandino had a duty to help Malik and he didn't 
"because he was trying to save his own skin."

Charges of manslaughter and drug trafficking against Bernandino were withdrawn.

A friend of Malik, who didn't want her name used, said the honour roll 
student didn't use drugs before the weekend tragedy.

While investigating the teen's death, Toronto Police were confident Malik 
was relatively new to the drug.

Known as a designer drug, ecstasy produces a strong sense of pleasure and 
feelings of euphoria, but it can interfere with the body's ability to 
regulate temperature and can lead to death. Its popularity has grown 
immensely in the last few years, namely among youths who attend raves and 
night clubs.

"If you're trafficking in this type of drug, ecstasy or any kind of drug 
like heroin, cocaine, and you cause someone's death...you're going to end 
up doing some serious jail time," said Barry.

Bernandino declined comment when asked by the judge if he had anything to 
say to Malik's family.
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