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Case ID: 16932
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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CONVICTED: Was justice served?

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Case #16932 Rating: 3.3 out of 5



6 dogs locked in hot car - 1 dies
Salisbury, MD (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Aug 9, 2010
County: Wicomico

Charges: Misdemeanor
Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Shannon Mecall Hussain
» Kirt Barren Greenberg

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

A Berlin man and woman are behind bars after being accused of leaving their six dogs locked up for more than three hours in a hot vehicle parked at the Centre at Salisbury mall. Salisbury police say one of the dogs died from the heat.

Kirt Barren Greenberg, 45, and Shannon Mecall Hussain, 36, are each charged with six counts of deprivation of necessary sustenance, six counts of unlawful deprivation of sustenance, six counts of inflicting unnecessary suffering and pain and did cause the cruel killing of an animal. Both are being held in the Wicomico County Detention Center on an unspecified bond.

Police say that at around 5:22 p.m. Sunday, officers were called to the mall where they met with witnesses who pointed out a vehicle in the parking lot that contained six dogs that appeared to be in duress due to the heat.

According to police, the windows of the vehicle were up with only 1-inch of space at the top. The officers observed that the dogs were having health issues and made entry into the vehicle. Police say the temperature of the vehicle's interior was found to be in excess of 105 degrees.

One dog was found to be unresponsive and later died from the exposure to the heat. The remaining dogs were given water and air conditioning and slowly revived.

Police say the officers located the dogs' owners, Greenberg and Hussain, and found that the animals had been left in the vehicle for more than three hours. Both suspects were taken into custody on the aforementioned charges.

Court records show that Greenberg is no stranger to the law. Last month Maryland State Police arrested him on 30 child porn-related charges. And on April 23 he was charged with second-degree assault. He goes on trial for that charge on Aug. 12.


Case Updates

A Berlin couple charged by Salisbury police after locking their dogs in an SUV parked at a mall during extreme temperatures have been convicted of animal cruelty for a second time and were sentenced to 30 days in jail, according to court records.

Shannon Mecall Hussain, 36, and her fiancé, Kirt Barren Greenberg, 45, were convicted on 18 counts of animal cruelty in District Court in November.

The cases were moved to the county's highest court during the same month after the couple appealed the convictions.

Hussain was convicted of one count of animal cruelty on Wednesday after entering a guilty plea. The judge suspended 60 days of her 90-day jail sentence.

Greenberg received a similar sentence after entering an Alford plea -- a plea where the defendant does not admit guilt but acknowledges the state has enough evidence for a conviction -- to one count of animal cruelty Tuesday.

The couple will have to serve less jail time than originally ordered in the District Court cases. Hussain was sentenced to 90 days in jail. Greenberg was ordered to serve nine months, according to court documents.

The District Court judge also ordered the couple to surrender any remaining pets or livestock to Worcester County Animal Control.

Greenberg and Hussain were taken into custody in August after police used a baton to release six dogs locked in the couple's Dodge Durango that was parked at The Centre at Salisbury.

A city police officer administered CPR twice to one of the dogs, but the canine did not survive.

The remaining dogs were taken to the Humane Society, where at least two have been adopted.
Source: delmarvanow.com - Mar. 19, 2011
Update posted on Mar 19, 2011 - 5:32PM 
What started out as an investigation into allegations of a peeping Tom has led to a Berlin man being charged with several counts of possession of child pornography.

The Berlin Police Department began an investigation into Kirt Barren Greenberg, 45, of the 200 block of West Main Street, after a 17-year-old girl told police she believed Greenberg had videotaped her without her knowledge.

The investigation began after the girl spent several days with her aunt at the residence. Greenberg had allegedly installed several digital video cameras and recorded the residence while he was away, according to court documents.

"Greenberg would call the residence and comment on events that were taking place," according to court documents.

When the girl wanted to take a shower, Greenberg told her that the main bathroom was broken and that she would need to use his. Greenberg allegedly later told the girl he had her "exposed." This comment led her to believe Greenberg had videotaped her while showering, according to court documents.

The Worcester County Bureau of Investigation searched the property March 10, finding a complex computer setup. At that point, Deputy John Seichepine of the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office was asked to assist in the investigation, charging papers say.

During an interview with police, Greenberg said "he had observed files on Limewire in the past which contained children having sex," according to court records. Limewire is a peer-to-peer Internet file-sharing system.

In November, police say, the Maryland State Police computer crimes unit concluded it had found 27 illegal images on the drives. After the State's Attorney's Office was notified, an arrest warrant for Greenberg was issued and he was taken into custody Dec. 17, police said. He was released the next day on $25,000 bond pending trial, court records show.

Greenberg is also the suspect in a multi-count animal cruelty case in Wicomico County, court records show; he faces 18 counts of animal cruelty stemming from an Aug. 8 incident and was released after posting $15,000 bond, pending trial. Court records show an initial appearance in that case was set for Friday, the day Worcester police arrested him on the child pornography charges.

A court record shows Greenberg has been charged with crimes in Worcester previously. A different court case alleges Greenberg possessed child pornography on Sept. 28, 2009, and intended to distribute it. A trial in that case is set for early January. He was charged with second-degree assault for an April 23 incident but was found not guilty, court records show.

In 1995, he was found guilty of soliciting a prostitute and sentenced to 30 days in jail, according to court records. He has also been convicted in Worcester for marijuana possession.
Source: delmarvanow.com - Dec 21, 2010
Update posted on Dec 21, 2010 - 10:31PM 
A Berlin couple charged by city police after locking their dogs in an SUV parked at a mall during the summer has been convicted of animal cruelty and will have to serve jail time.

Shannon Mecall Hussain, 36, and her fiancé, Kirt Barren Greenberg, 45, were convicted on 18 counts of animal cruelty by a District Court judge on Nov. 18, according to court records.

Greenberg was sentenced to nine months in jail. Hussain was ordered to serve 90 days.

"Most importantly, the animals are not going back to them," said Linda Lugo, executive director of the Wicomico County Humane Society. "They are going to new homes and new families."

Greenberg and Hussain will also have to serve three years of supervised probation and are banned from owning any pets.

The judge ordered the couple to surrender any remaining pets or livestock they have to Worcester County Animal Control.

"I am pleased with the outcome," said David Shanks, an animal control officer with the Salisbury Police Department. "It was taken very seriously and we're pleased."

Over the seven years Shanks has been working as an animal control officer, he said he has seen the number of individuals charged with animal cruelty remain steady. However, judges are starting to crack down on those charged, he said.

Greenberg and Hussain were taken into custody in August after police used a baton to release six dogs locked in the couple's Dodge Durango that was parked at The Centre at Salisbury.

A city police officer administered CPR twice to one of the dogs, but the canine did not survive.

The remaining dogs were taken to the Humane Society where two have been adopted, according to Lugo.

"It has been really cool because a lot of people have come to take them for walks," she said.

The Humane Society was also pleased with the judge's verdict and sentence. However, Lugo said she would have liked for the court to have ordered the couple to pay restitution to help cover expenses the agency has incurred since the dogs have been under its care.

"Hopefully it sends a strong message that you have to take care of your dogs in Wicomico County or we'll do whatever is necessary to prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," Lugo said.
Source: delmarvanow.com - Nov 25, 2010
Update posted on Nov 25, 2010 - 11:42AM 

References

  • « MD State Animal Cruelty Map
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