Dog thrown off second store balcony
Flint, MI (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
County: Genesee
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Patricia Beardsley
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Neighbors testified they were shocked to see a Flint woman toss her roommate's small, purebred Pomeranian dog off a second-floor balcony. Sadie Mae, the 10-month-old, 9-1/2 pound animal, landed with a thud and was obviously injured, witnesses said at a preliminary examination.
Now, Patricia Beardsley, 34, will stand trial in the incident.
Flint District Judge William H. Crawford II scheduled a Sept. 10, 2007 circuit court arraignment for Beardsley, who is charged with killing or torturing an animal, a 4-year felony, and attempted killing/torturing an animal, a 2-year felony.
Rita Mattson told assistant Genesee County Prosecutor Janet McLaren she was at a neighbor's house on Maplewood Avenue about 1 p.m. Aug. 16, 2007, when Beardsley, who lived next door, went out on her second floor balcony screaming for her roommate, who owned the pet but was not at home.
Mattson said Beardsley was yelling that her young daughter had possibly eaten Sadie Mae's feces, or that Beardsley had stepped in a mess left by the animal. She said Beardsley was holding the small animal by the nape of its neck and then tossed it 10 feet in the air and off the balcony, which is at least another 20-foot drop. Tim Myers, Mattson's boyfriend, said he went to aid the pet until police and animal control officials arrived. Dr. Lucian Blajan, a veterinarian at Eascor Animal Hospital, said X-rays showed the dog had an injured hip joint near its left rear leg. He said the dog was undergoing surgery to repair the injury and Blajan expects a full recovery.
Josie M. Tedhams, who owns Sadie Mae, said she moved in with Beardsley several weeks earlier but had gone to fix her car when the incident occurred.
Attorney Stephen M. Lazzio, who represents Beardsley, objected to his client standing trial, saying she was a "panicked mother" who was concerned about her child getting into the dog feces and "over-reacted." Crawford denied reducing Beardsley's $5,000 cash bond, saying she has a prior misdemeanor assault conviction, involvement with Protective Services and mental health treatment. Beardsley is being held in the Genesee County Jail.
Case UpdatesPatricia Beardsley told a judge she "overreacted" when she tossed her roommate's small dog from a second-story balcony after the Pomeranian nipped her child's cheek.
Now, Beardsley faces jail and restitution when sentenced in February after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit abandonment/cruelty to animals.
Beardsley, 34, was charged with killing or torturing an animal, a 4-year felony, and attempted killing/torturing an animal, a 2-year felony.
She pleaded to the one-year misdemeanor in a plea bargain with prosecutors.
Beardsley will be sentenced Feb. 19 by Flint District Judge William H. Crawford II.
At an earlier hearing, neighbors testified they saw Beardsley toss Sadie Mae, a 10-month old, 9 1/2 pound animal, off a second-floor balcony about 1 p.m. Aug. 16 at a
Maplewood Avenue residence. Witnesses said the dog landed with a thud, and was obviously injured.
A witness said Beardsley was holding the small animal by the nape of its neck, then tossed it 10 feet in the air and off the balcony, which is at least another 20-foot drop, meaning the dog plummeted about 30 feet to the ground.
Dr. Lucian Blajan, a veterinarian at Eascor Animal Hospital, said X-rays showed the dog had an injured hip joint near its left rear leg.
He said the injured leg was splinted, and the dog has undergone surgery to repair the injury and is expected to make a full recovery.
Josie M. Tedhams, who owns Sadie Mae, said she had moved in with Beardsley only several weeks earlier but had left to fix her car when the incident occurred.
Tedhams said Beardsley's 8-month-old daughter was also there when she left, but said Beardsley was sleeping.
Beardsley entered her plea with her attorney, Stephen M. Lazzio. | Source: The Flint Journal - Jan 8, 2008
Update posted on Jan 19, 2008 - 4:22AM |
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