Legal News

Banana fraud hearings begin

By Richard Binder

A three-day hearing opens Tuesday to review allegations by the Dole Fresh Fruit Co. that two attorneys have recruited clients to make false claims about a pesticide making them sterile while working on Nicaraguan banana farms.

Dole accuses Los Angeles-based attorney Juan Dominguez and his colleague in Nicaragua, Antonio Hernandez Ordenana, of paying and coaching men to come forward and pretend to have been adversely affected by the use of a pesticide known as DBCP.  The company goes on to say the attorneys showed these men videos that depicted plantation life to help make their stories more believable.

Back in March Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Victoria Chaney issued a show-cause order that led to this hearing, demanding both sides of the case to present evidence why the two particular lawsuits in question, Mejia v. Dole and Rivera v. Dole, should not be dismissed with prejudice. 

Parts of the hearing will be closed to the public to protect the identities of witnesses. 

Click these for details.

Full post as published by Legal Pad | LA on April 21, 2009 (boomark / email).