Attorneys/Judges
| Defense(s): | Ray Raimo | | Judge(s): | David LeFrancois |
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #14947 Rating: 2.7 out of 5
Dog thrown to the ground, injured
Deerfield, NH (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Apr 24, 2008
County: Rockingham
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Scott Perdue
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
A New Hampshire man faces charges he assaulted a golden retriever known as the "Golden Ghost." The dog earned his nickname for spending two years in the wild, despite attempts to capture him.
The dog -- whose name is Sam -- was finally caught with the help of a boiled ham dinner and returned to his owners, Margaret and Dennis Sklarski of Deerfield. The couple had adopted Sam from a Tennessee shelter in 2004, but he escaped not long after they got him.
Last month, his owners were walking Sam when Scott Perdue, 37, of Candia allegedly picked up the dog and threw him to the ground, hurting Sam's shoulder. Perdue also is charged with threatening to kill Mrs. Sklarski.
The altercation apparently was triggered when Perdue's German shepherd jumped out of his vehicle and attacked Sam, said Candia police Sgt. Scott Gallagher.
He said the Sklarskis were walking Sam on a leash on April 24 near a street corner when an off-road vehicle approached. He said the vehicle was pulling a trailer carrying several children and a German shepherd, which jumped out of the trailer. He said Perdue allegedly got out and began cursing, grabbed Sam and threw him to the ground.
Gallagher said Perdue allegedly threatened to kill Mrs. Sklarski and told her to get out of his face.
The Sklarskis returned to their business and called police. They then returned to the area to try to locate the man and spotted Perdue turn into a driveway.
Police arrived to find them involved in another confrontation.
Perdue is charged with felony criminal threatening, misdemeanor threatening and animal cruelty.
He was released on $500 cash bail and faces arraignment June 4 in Auburn District Court.
Case UpdatesAfter a three-hour trial that included the defendant's own 10-year-old son as a defense witness, Judge David LeFrancois found resident Scott Perdue guilty of animal cruelty and criminal threatening.
The case involved Perdue's purported injury of a 7-year-old golden retriever named Sam, belonging to Deerfield residents Denis and Margaret "Peg" Sklarski, during an incident in April when Perdue's German shepherd got in a barking match with Sam and another Sklarski dog near Blevens Drive.
Sam, a 7-year-old golden retriever. made a name for himself two years ago.
Two years prior to this incident, Sam made a name for himself as the "Golden Ghost" by surviving for two years on his own in the wilds of Candia and other area towns.
Perdue was accused of picking up and throwing Sam to the ground after the dogs' April 24 encounter, and he also threatened to run over Peg Sklarski with a four-wheeler vehicle towing a trailer.
Prosecution witnesses Sklarski and Mary Anne Boyle both said they were taking their regular lunchtime walk when the encounter between the three dogs took place, but the women's testimony varied considerably. Neither agreed on which side of the nearby Virginia Avenue they saw Perdue approaching in his OHRV, and Sklarski said Sam was tossed onto his right side while Boyle said the dog was thrown onto his left side.
Defense attorney Ray Raimo placed emphasis on the inconsistencies, and under questioning, Perdue maintained that he felt Sklarski was the one threatening him by standing in front of his OHRV as he tried to drive back home.
Perdue's son stated on the stand that he'd seen his father "throw " the golden retriever out of the way," but denied that the dog had been "tackled" to the degree described by the prosecution.
LeFrancois said he saw "stark contrasts" in the testimony, but concluded there was enough evidence to find Perdue guilty of the cruelty and threatening charges. Perdue was fined $1,250 plus a $500 donation to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for the two guilty findings and the OHRV charge, but LeFrancois said he would suspend all but $600 of the fines and fees, and he also ordered Perdue to get an anger management evaluation within 90 days.
Raimo said he plans to appeal the decision. | Source: Union Leader - Dec 3, 2008
Update posted on Dec 4, 2008 - 12:06AM |
A man charged with animal cruelty and felony threatening in a case involving a former runaway dog dubbed the "Golden Ghost" has a trial scheduled for December.
Scott Perdue, 37, of 27 Virginia Drive was charged in April after an altercation with Deerfield resident Margaret "Peg" Skalrski on Blevens Drive. The incident also involved Sam, a golden retriever that became known locally after he escaped from Birchwood Plaza business owner Denis Sklarski in May 2004.
The dog remained on the run for nearly two years before he was caught in 2006.
Candia District Court documents state that Peg Sklarski and a friend were walking the dog as Perdue rode nearby on an off-road vehicle that was reportedly towing a trailer containing several children and a German shepherd dog.
Police later said Perdue's shepherd jumped from the cart and ran toward the retriever and the two began fighting. Perdue allegedly went over and grabbed the retriever and threw it to the ground.
Documents claim Perdue allegedly threatened to run Peg Sklarski over with the cart, and he later allegedly threatened to shoot her and Denis Sklarski.
Perdue is charged with felony threatening for allegedly saying he would run over Peg Sklarski, and he was also charged with class A misdemeanors for threatening to shoot the couple and for animal cruelty for throwing the dog.
Telephone calls to Perdue's lawyer, Manchester attorney Ray Raimo, were not returned yesterday. The trial is scheduled for Candia District Court on Dec. 3. | Source: Union Leader - Nov 22, 2008
Update posted on Dec 4, 2008 - 12:06AM |
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