Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Victoria Shilton | | Defense(s): | David Lipshutz |
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CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #16315 Rating: 1.0 out of 5
Dog dragged behind vehicle
Lawnside, NJ (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Sep 5, 2009
County: Camden
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available
Defendant/Suspect: William Jefferson
Case Updates: 4 update(s) available
The four-legged survivor curled up on his pee-stained blanket, faced the back corner of a shelter cage and pressed his nose against the cinder block wall.
The 69-pound dog trembled and whimpered while the other nine dogs in his row barked loudly for attention from strangers on Tuesday evening.
Buddy, a Rottweiler mix around 8 years old, hasn't recovered from a level of maiming previously unseen by authorities and his caretakers at the Burlington County Animal Shelter.
On Sept. 5, Buddy was dragged behind his owner's car, stumbling and bleeding down Ashland Avenue in Lawnside, said authorities from the state Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Camden County Prosecutor's Office.
"The owner slammed his trunk door on his dog's leash and drove about a half mile," said prosecutor's spokesman Jason Laughlin, noting witnesses saw the incident and called police.
The owner, William Jefferson, 63, of Ellis Court in Lawnside, left Buddy in a nearby parking lot, battered with road rash, large lesions and the pads and nails of his feet worn off, authorities said.
Jefferson was indicted in January on fourth-degree animal cruelty charges that carry the possibility of up to 18 months in jail, five years probation and fines, Laughlin said.
When contacted Tuesday night, Jefferson wouldn't address the incident or provide information about his defense attorney.
"I'm not giving my dog to no one," he said. "They've had him too long. I got one lawyer. I'll get two if I have to."
The prosecutor's office is responsible for prosecuting Jefferson. No trial date in the case was available Wednesday.
Since October, Buddy has been in the Burlington County shelter, where he'll stay until the end of Jefferson's legal proceedings, after which a judge can decide the dog's future. The shelter is seeking people interested in fostering the dog.
SPCA officials said they have been more than pleased with the dog's care. The agency is paying for Buddy's $4-per-day stay at the shelter.
Case UpdatesLawnside dog-dragger William Jefferson stood stone-faced during his 45-minute sentencing here Friday, as a Superior Court judge and an assistant prosecutor argued he hasn't taken enough responsibility for nearly killing a defenseless animal.
Meanwhile, Bud, the pet Rottweiler mix Jefferson admitted dragging nearly a mile behind his sedan in September, appeared to be smiling in a recent photograph displayed by assistant county Prosecutor Victoria Shilton after the sentencing. Jefferson pleaded guilty in June to fourth-degree animal cruelty.
Despite expressing repeated displeasure with Jefferson's actions, Judge Anthony Pugliese ended the 11-month animal cruelty saga with a series of compromises.
The judge said he was particularly bothered when Jefferson acquired a 9-month-old boxer mix, Ace, just three months after the dragging.
"It was an aggressive posture . . ." Pugliese said. "He must have thought 'Now they can't prevent me from having dogs.' "
Pugliese ordered Jefferson, 64, to give Ace to his daughter, Rosita Corbin, and also ruled he can't have any new pets.
"This court doesn't want to be responsible if this happens to another animal," Pugliese said.
However, Jefferson is allowed to keep Penny, his 8-year-old golden retriever. Pugliese said the SPCA found no issues with Jefferson's care of Penny and dogs her age are harder to place.
Jefferson also was sentenced to three years' probation, although the prosecution pushed for five years and the defense wanted just one. Pugliese called the sentence appropriate given Jefferson's clean criminal history and decorated military career.
"When you make a mistake like that for the first time, it's serious enough," the judge said.
Jefferson has said he used poor judgment by leashing Bud inside the open trunk of his car for a ride down Ashland Avenue to the dog's groomer Sept. 5. He said when he realized Bud was being dragged, he stopped the car, leashed the dog to a fence and went to get water to clean the animal's paws.
Jefferson claims when he returned from a nearby convenience store on that 90-degree day, Lawnside police held him in a cruiser for hours and wouldn't let him tend to Bud.
"There were other people he's wanted to point to," Pugliese said. "It's never been, 'I'm taking full responsibility.' These were horrible decisions and he still seems to be having problems grasping that."
Still, Pugliese didn't sentence Jefferson to psychological evaluations or community service, which were discussed in a plea deal struck during a June 25 hearing before Pugliese. Jefferson must repay $2,760.35 to the SPCA for Bud's shelter stay and medical treatment, which Shilton said included dental work and the 9-year-old dog's neutering.
"It's an appropriate sentencing because it's too great a risk to allow him to have other animals," Shilton said outside the courtroom.
Jefferson's attorney, Dave Lipshutz, said he "obviously" disagreed with some of Pugliese's reasoning and a lot of Shilton's comments. He said Jefferson acquired Ace as a replacement for his grandchildren, who were distraught over Bud's absence.
"The most difficult part is the judge said William can't have any more dogs," Lipshutz said. "It's a very harsh punishment for this gentleman that loves dogs and would like nothing more than to grow old with them."
Jefferson's wife of 40 years, Joanne, also called Pugliese's decision "harsh."
"I think he went more to the prosecution's side than the truth," she said.
On his way out of the courtroom to sign sentencing papers, Jefferson assured Lipshutz he was OK. But before his 2:30 p.m. sentencing, Jefferson patted his heart and said, "I haven't felt good for a year."
"You know what? I think I'm done with dogs," he added. "It's not worth it if they can just take 'em away."
Shilton and SPCA officer Theresa Cooper say Bud is starting to do well with people again and is enjoying time with a female companion, Hannah, a rescued pit bull cross.
Shilton showed a photograph of Bud in his new home, Country Haven Kennels in Eastampton, where the dog appeared to be smiling.
"This one's on my door," she said. | Source: APP.com - Aug 23, 2010
Update posted on Aug 25, 2010 - 3:33PM |
A Lawnside man pleaded guilty this morning in Superior Court in Camden to a fourth-degree animal cruelty charge for dragging his dog about a mile behind his car.
William Jefferson, 62, acknowledged his reckless actions of tying Bud, his 9-year-old Rottweiler mix, to the trunk of his car with a 6-foot leash.
Jefferson repeatedly called the bloody incident an accident -- saying Bud jumped out of the trunk while Jefferson drove 7/10 of a mile down Ashland Avenue on Sept. 5.
Under his plea agreement, he must surrender Bud, his puppy, Ace, and be cleared by the state Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to keep his 8-year-old golden retriever, Penny.
Jefferson will serve a noncustodial probation term during which he must have psychiatric evaluations. If Jefferson violates probation, the court could order him to serve up to the maximum 18-month state prison term that the animal cruelty charge carries.
He must pay $155 in court fees and pay for Bud's treatment and care from the date of the incident until he officially gives up ownership of the dog. He also faces a community service mandate. | Source: CourierPostOnline.com - Jun 24, 2010
Update posted on Jun 24, 2010 - 7:53PM |
Monday's scheduled pretrial hearing for admitted dog dragger William Jefferson was delayed until June 21, but his attorney said the decorated Army veteran is in jeopardy of losing his pets.
After nearly two hours of delays and closed-door deliberations, the prosecution and defense left the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Anthony Pugliese.
The hearing was postponed so the two sides have more time to reach a plea agreement, Jefferson's attorney David Lipshutz said outside the courtroom.
"The offerings haven't been acceptable to either side," Lipshutz added, noting preliminary plea details are confidential.
"Sentencing, probation, community service and fines are all on the table, along with his other pets and future animals. I doubt he'll see his dog (Bud) again."
Assistant Camden County Prosecutor Victoria Shilton and her office's spokesman, Jason Laughlin, had no comment Monday. Jefferson, a Lawnside resident, faces fourth-degree animal cruelty charges that carry up to 18 months in prison, five years probation and fines.
The Vietnam War veteran admitted accidently dragging Bud behind his car for about a mile down Ashland Avenue in Lawnside Sept. 5. He said he used poor judgment by leashing his Rottweiler mix inside the open trunk of his sedan for a ride to Bud's groomer. (The dog was initially misidentified as Buddy by the state SPCA.)
Lawnside, Camden County and SPCA officials have called the incident one of the worst cases of animal cruelty they've ever seen. SPCA spokesman Matt Stanton said Monday that Bud is alive and well in an undisclosed location.
On May 4, the agency moved the dog from the Burlington County Animal Shelter, where he'd been since October after a foster attempt by Shilton was cut short by the dog's aggression issues.
"I'll have a lot to say when this is over," Shilton said in court on Monday.
Jefferson, 62, said he got little sleep Sunday night because it's been too long since he last saw the 9-year-old dog he raised from a months-old puppy. Bud is one of 10 dogs Jefferson has owned from his time growing up on a South Carolina family farm, including hunting dogs, a Husky and a Collie.
He came to court Monday with his wife of 40 years, Joanne.
"This is it," Jefferson said, while anxiously tapping his hand on his knee. "They haven't let me see him."
About 40 minutes later, following a private conference with his attorney, a visibly frustrated Jefferson returned to the courtroom for his belongings.
"It's another long day," he said on his way out.
Lipshutz described it as the most sensitive time for his animal-loving client, who had just learned he may lose his two other dogs as part of a potential plea agreement.
"My gut feeling is this probably won't go to trial," Lipshutz said. | Source: Courier-Post - May 18, 2010
Update posted on Jun 9, 2010 - 5:36PM |
Opinions are colliding about Buddy, the dog that survived a dragging incident in Camden County and continues his rehabilitation at a Burlington County animal shelter.
A new side of the story surfaced Friday evening, with the dog owner's attorney characterizing the dragging of Buddy as a "foolish" accident.
On Sept. 5, Buddy was dragged behind owner William Jefferson's car, stumbling and bleeding down Ashland Avenue in Lawnside, according to the state Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Camden County Prosecutor's Office and Jefferson's attorney David Lipshutz.
But Lipshutz said his dog-loving client didn't slam his car trunk door on Buddy's leash before driving away from his Lawnside home, as alleged by the prosecutor's office.
Lipshutz said Jefferson, 63, was trying to take Buddy 1.2 miles away to his groomer K-9 Kare Korner in Magnolia that morning.
A K-9 Kare representative couldn't be reached Friday for comment.
"The dog wouldn't get in the car, as usual," Lipshutz said. "There was some substance on the seat he didn't like. So, he put him in the open trunk, tethered by a rope."
Sometime during the trip, Lipshutz said, the dog jumped out without Jefferson feeling a jolt or hearing a bark. He said Jefferson was flagged to a stop by a witness.
"He was sick about what happened," Lipshutz said, noting Williamson has two other dogs and grew up on a farm. "He leashed him to the fence and went to get water for his paws. By the time he came back, the police were there and treated him like some kind of monster. He hasn't been allowed to see the dog since. He has received anonymous hate mail since (the initial Courier-Post article reporting the incident) that shook him up."
Buddy, a 69-pound Rottweiler mix, was placed in the Westampton shelter in October, after his caretakers there said a foster attempt by Assistant Prosecutor Victoria Shilton was cut short because of the dog's aggression issues.
Buddy's disposition improved during his stay with Shilton, who is prosecuting Jefferson in this case, said prosecutor's spokesman Jason Laughlin. | Source: Courier Post - April 24, 2010
Update posted on Apr 26, 2010 - 1:02AM |
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