Don’t Blow Your Horn, Unicorn
Billings, MT
It turns out there are no such things as unicorns — and even if there were, they wouldn’t drive trucks.
On Tuesday, a Billings prosecutor had told a district judge that Phillip C. Holliday Jr., 42, claimed a unicorn was driving when his truck crashed into a light pole earlier this month.
But on Wednesday, the chief prosecutor said it was all a misunderstanding. Apparently, Holliday told police an unnamed woman was driving when his truck hit the pole — not a unicorn.
“Mr. Holliday has other serious problems, but this is not one of them,” County Attorney Dennis Paxinos said of the unicorn alibi.
The mixup occurred when a deputy prosecutor misunderstood an e-mail from a colleague who used the phrase “unicorn defense,” thinking it was an actual statement from Holliday, Paxinos said. “Unicorn defense” is a slang term used by prosecutors when a defendant blames some mythical person for a crime, he said.
“It’s kind of a code (between prosecutors) and the code was misinterpreted,” Paxinos said.
Paxinos apologized “to the public, the court and to Mr. Holliday” for the confusion and said he has chastised the prosecutors involved.
Holliday has pleaded not guilty to felony charges of criminal endangerment and drunken driving. He is being represented by a public defender. Kristina Copenhaver-Landon, director of the public defender’s office in Billings, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
Found in the Associated Press
Thanks Ritch!
March 15th, 2007 at 5:21 am
And this is why someone with experience should screen the press releases. Since the article I saw said this was his 5th conviction, he should have left it as a unicorn driving—better then him drunk again!
March 15th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Well, at least having a unicorn in the driver’s seat gives the trunk monkey someone to play with while I’m in the bar.
March 15th, 2007 at 8:52 am
Ritch, I’ve seen the commercials but I have no clue. What is a trunk monkey?
March 15th, 2007 at 9:00 am
LOL Night. I thought that might be a stretch and was looking to see who was familiar with this little guy. It’s hard to describe so I tried to do a video search on ‘Truck Monkey’ and got quite a few hits, but my work computer’s not letting me confirm it’s the one. Essentially, the idea is that he’s a monkey you keep in your trunk. If a guy steals your car he pops up from the back seat and beats the crap out of him. I highly recommend it. And it’s clean.
March 15th, 2007 at 9:17 am
I have that in my email archives. Actually there are a couple different ones now.
I love ‘em!
March 15th, 2007 at 6:40 pm
They say a lot, but still haven’t gotten anything accomplished.
March 15th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
hey ritch, and everyone else. i have the trunk monkey vids (3 anyway), and they are the funniest damn thing youve ever seen. as far as the unicorn driving, isnt that a bit risky? they are on the endangered species list arent they? lol. anyway, if i post the vids, and i get to here thru my yahoo, how could i post them for ya? im a bit comp-illiterate. someone fill me in?
March 16th, 2007 at 9:10 am
Ford: I believe you would just past the web address into the text of your posting like this - http://www.smalltownmisfit.com.
As for the unicorn - I think we all have a better change of finding that unicorn than locating the lady supposedly driving. And that includes the option of painting a house and sticking a horn on its head!
March 16th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
You can paint a house if you want to iron but a horse would be easier. lol j/k
March 16th, 2007 at 8:12 pm
hey ironman, thanks for the info, but the trunk monkey vids i have are on my comp, not on a website. got some other ideas for me? everybody deserves to see these, they are great vids.
March 17th, 2007 at 7:21 am
Sure, FORD. You can pst them to You Tube. Then they will be on a web site and you can reference a link.
March 17th, 2007 at 7:37 am
MY FAVORITE PART…”MR HOLIDAY HAS OTHER SERIOUS PROBLEMS, BUT THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM” WHAT A DEFENSE!
March 17th, 2007 at 10:04 am
Anyway, leaving Mr. Holiday safely ensconced on the Fifth Floor, I think the Suburban Auto Group is responsible for those cute little trunk monkey ads — they’re adorable, aren’t they? Me, I want a lazarette monkey, or maybe even a forepeak monkey…