Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dog beaten, woman threatened

Dog beaten, woman threatened
Manchester, NH (US)

Incident Date: Tuesday, Aug 29, 2006
County: Hillsborough
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Steven Graham

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 10561

Classification: Beating

Animal: dog (non pit-bull)

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A Manchester man was arrested after he repeatedly punched his dog in the face while he threatened his wife, police said.

Steven Graham, 41, of 733 Somerville St., pleaded innocent Aug 29, 2006 in Manchester District Court to charges of cruelty to animals and criminal threatening.

Melissa Graham, 30, told police she went to their Somerville Street home on Aug 29 to pick up the family's car. She was staying at her mother's house after telling Graham she wanted a divorce.

Mrs. Graham told police her husband has a long history of domestic abuse and in the past she has obtained a restraining order against him.

According to court filings, she met Graham outside the apartment house and he began to verbally abuse her. He allegedly threatened to "kill her and take the kids away so fast" if he found her with any other man.

Graham, who was holding the family's beagle, repeatedly punched the dog in its face saying, "This is what I will do to your mother," police said.

Police prosecuting Officer Ronald Mello told the judge Graham was convicted in September of assaulting his wife. He was given a 12-month sentence, with 11 months suspended.

Mello wanted Graham held on $5,000 cash or bond but Judge Gregory Michael reduced it to $1,500 after Graham told him he had five children, was self-employed and needed to get to work to buy them school clothes.

However, the judge warned Graham if he violated bail conditions, which included no contact with his wife, bail would be $250,000 cash only.

Graham's trial is Oct. 31.

Case Updates

A man who threatened to kill his wife and repeatedly punched a puppy in the face was sentenced Jan 9 to nearly three years in jail.

Manchester District Court Judge William H. Lyons gave Steven Graham, 41, of 733 Somerville St., a maximum sentence of two years, 11 months. He was convicted last year of cruelty to animals, criminal threatening and violating probation.

Assistant Hillsborough County Attorney Michael Valentine said Graham assaulted his then-pregnant wife, his children and the family pet Aug. 28.

Buster the beagle did not need veterinary care after being punched last August. He is now living with a Londonderry family.

Melissa Graham said the beagle puppy, named Buster, did not need veterinary care. However, the pup became skittish and began howling whenever he was left alone. It became too much, she said, and late last year the dog was given away to a Londonderry family.

"I cried and the kids cried," she said.

Graham, who had a victim-witness advocate read her statement at Graham's sentencing, said she has not slept peacefully since the incident. She is afraid of her husband and remains in hiding.

"To me he is a threat to me, the children and to society itself," she wrote.

Graham was supposed to be at a domestic violence counseling session the August day the attacks took place. Police said Melissa Graham had left her husband after telling him she wanted a divorce, and was staying at her mother's house.

A friend, Amy Shikrallah, gave her a ride to 733 Somerville St. to pick up a truck. Graham came home about the same time his wife arrived. He was drunk and stumbled out of his friend's truck, a prosecutor said at his trial last year.

Graham threatened to kill his wife and "take the kids away so fast" if he found her with another man.

Once inside the apartment, Mrs. Graham went to find her children's coats. Graham had Buster in one arm and began punching the puppy in the face, saying "This is what I will do to your mother," referring to his wife.

Police said Shikrallah witnessed the cruelty.

Steven and Melissa Graham have five children and stepchildren - ages 11 to 3 - between them. A sixth child died on Aug. 30, 2005, when Mrs. Graham, 8.5 months pregnant, was involved in a three-car crash on Bridge Street. She gave birth to an infant son, Marcus, who later died.

Graham, who has been jailed since Aug. 28, is being detained on $5,000 cash/surety bail. He is appealing the convictions to Hillsborough County Superior Court.

Source: Union Leader - Jan 10, 2007
Update posted on Jan 19, 2007 - 3:07PM

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Union-Leader - Aug 30, 2007

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Dog beaten, woman threatenedManchester, NH (US)

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Dog beaten, woman threatened
Manchester, NH (US)