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but that charge was withdrawn in exchange for his testimony against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Charges of manslaughter and drug trafficking against Bernandino were withdrawn.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.