Mom in drug-planting case wrote of 'perfect crime'

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - A mother accused of planting drugs in the car of a school volunteer had previously written a book about committing the perfect crime, according to a news report.

Jill Easter, 38, of Irvine, wrote the book "Holding House" under the pen name Ava Bjork, according to the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/Nea9Qi).

Promotional information for the book, including a video that details its plot, asks readers, "If you knew how to commit the perfect crime, would you do it?"

Authorities allege Easter and her husband, Kent Easter, planted drugs in the car of Kelli Peters. The couple, both lawyers, were charged Tuesday with conspiracy to procure false arrest, false imprisonment and conspiracy to falsely report a crime.

Peters is a well-known school volunteer and the PTA president at Plaza Vista School. Prosecutors say the Easters disliked Peters because they felt she didn't properly supervise their son.

The promotional trailer for Jill Easter's novel says the crime is simple, possible and "no one will get hurt and there's no way they can get caught." The characters later become the subject of a manhunt because "unforeseen events cause their dream crime to unravel into a nightmare."

The current allegations aren't the first time the couple had a run in with Peters.

They sued Peters in March 2010 after she locked their son, then a first-grader, out of the school for less than 20 minutes. The case was dismissed.

Jill Easter also requested a restraining order against Peters, claiming she was psychotic and unstable. The request was denied.

The Easters are scheduled to be arraigned July 17.

If convicted on all charges, they would face up to three years in prison.