Ducks shot with paintballs
Hagerstown, MD (US)Incident Date: Friday, Jul 30, 2010
County: Washington
Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Nathaniel Louis Herring
Upcoming Court Dates:
» Thursday, Jan 27, 2011
A Prince George's County man who gave police an alias when he was charged with shooting ducks with paintballs in City Park was in Washington County District Court Wednesday for a bond hearing.
Charged with cruelty to animals under the name Jerome Larry Davis of Hagerstown, the 18-year-old told District Judge R. Noel Spence that his real name is Nathaniel Herring. He said he lives in Capitol Heights, Md., where he cares for his grandmother.
"You weren't taking care of your grandmother when you were up here allegedly inflicting pain on a duck, were you?" Spence asked.
Herring, who is scheduled for a preliminary hearing Jan. 27, also is charged with the infliction of unnecessary suffering or pain on an animal and trespassing, court documents said. Spence reduced Herring's bail from $10,000 to $7,500.
At 2:45 a.m. on July 30, Hagerstown Police went to the area of City Park to investigate a report of people tampering with vehicles, according to the statement of probable cause in Herring's case. While driving past the park, officers heard several "loud pops" and went to the park to investigate, the statement said.
Police detained three men and found three paintball guns in backpacks, the statement said. Two juvenile females and paintball ammunition were found in a pickup truck that one of the men said they had driven to the park, the statement said.
Officers also found red paint on several ducks, as well as on concession stand windows. The report did not indicate what harm, if any, was inflicted on the ducks.
A bench warrant was issued for Herring when he failed to appear in court for a hearing Oct. 6, court documents show.
All of the charges against Herring have maximum penalties of 90 days in jail upon conviction.
Herring told Spence he has no criminal convictions, but that he does have pending charges.
"My mom pressed charges on me for assault," he said.
Court documents showed a woman filed a second-degree assault complaint against Herring in March. References |
