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11/19/2009
UPDATE: The accused in that bizarre murder-for-hire scheme involving the partners in an Edmonton eye care clinic, remains in a Seattle-area jail cell.
Doctor Michael Mockovac still hasn't posted two-million dollars, so he can get out ahead of his pre-trial hearing next month. He's charged with two counts of criminal solicitation to commit first-degree murder.
Business partner, Doctor Joseph King, along with a former employee, were the alleged targets in the scheme, according to court documents. Mockovac is accused of wanting to collect insurance money that would be given to the Clearly Lazik company, in the event of King's death. The pair were reportedly going to dissolve their partnership.
King is expected to be back at work in the Edmonton office on Jasper Avenue, shortly. (bp)
Original Story:
If you go to Clearly Lasik in downtown Edmonton today, you'll see business as usual.
One of the company's co-founders, Dr. Michael Mockovac, is accused of trying to hire someone to kill his business partner, Dr. Joseph King.
Staff aren't able to talk about what happened, but they have posted a sign explaining that the allegations have nothing to do with day-to-day operations.
Wendell Hayes stopped by with his wife and kids, and he's not worried about this putting a wrench in his wife's surgery plans. "Those folks are so far away from the day-to-day that I'm sure it won't have any bearing on that," says Hayes. But he adds, joking, "Maybe they'll offer some discounts. Maybe they'll throw a sale on there."
But with four children under the age of four, Hayes can only imagine what it's like for King and his family. "Yeah, it's got to be pretty scary--just the thought that someone was plotting to do such a thing. It's a scary world we live in, all the way around."
Clearly Lasik is still seeing patients and is open regular hours.
"They're probably overrun with questions and people calling to find out what's going on and wondering if they still come in," says Hayes. "And if Dr. King was the one doing surgery here, then that will impact their business."
The company says the allegations are separate from what goes on at Clearly Lasik clinic every day. And Dr. King is even expected to be back at the Edmonton clinic within the next few days to perform surgeries as usual. (bd, ccg)
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