Horse beaten
Lillington, NC (US)Incident Date: Monday, Mar 31, 2003
County: Harnett
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Michael Joseph Nugent
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
The Anderson Creek horse trainer charged with facing multiple animal cruelty charges was found guilty of misdemeanor cruelty to animals in Lillington District Court Friday, September 26, 2003.
Tonya Reilly's 10-year-old horse Addi was allegedly beaten by 26-year-old Michael Joseph Nugent of Bunnlevel with a shovel until it broke. A felony charge against Mr. Nugent for his treatment of Addi is still pending.
Friday's trial involved the simple assault and misdemeanor animal cruelty. Mr. Nugent was charged after allegedly assaulting the son of a neighboring couple who confronted him about his treatment of a horse in his care.
Mr. Nugent was found not guilty of simple assault but guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty. District Court Judge Addie Rawls ordered that Mr. Nugent no longer board horses without being properly licensed.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Peter Strickland said the defendant had not been licensed previously.
Mr. Nugent's attorney, Tim Morris of Erwin, appealed and both charges will be heard again, this time in Superior Court on a date to be determined. "I believe that a jury will acquit him of all these charges," Mr. Morris said. "I don't believe he's done a thing."
"The family for the assault was really, really upset," Mrs. Reilly said. "But at least they get another chance when they go to superior court."
Sonja Best, a former employee of Mr. Nugent's M&T Stables, testified Friday. Ms. Best was kicked out of the stables and charged with theft and failure to pay stable fees after she refused to testify in Mr. Nugent's defense. Mrs. Reilly said she felt the charges against Ms. Best were an attempt to discredit her.
Mrs. Reilly said Ms. Best "did a great job" on the stand. "Absolutely wonderful," she said. Mr. Nugent, who does not have a previous criminal record, testified in his own defense.
"I think he was very surprised and very upset he was found guilty of animal cruelty," Mrs. Reilly said. "I believe he didn't think anything was going to happen. I believe he thinks the felony charges were just going to go away, and they're not. He ruined a perfectly good horse."
Mr. Nugent waived his right to a probable cause hearing, scheduled for tomorrow, on the felony charge and the matter will go directly to a grand jury, which will decide if there is sufficient evidence for an indictment.
Mrs. Reilly said she has also filed a civil claim in small claims court, which she said is scheduled for Oct. 7, for $653.50. She said Mr. Nugent had demanded $1,340 from her in board and training fees.
Mrs. Reilly removed Addi form M&T Stables in April after the horse, which had spent 16 days there, was unable to back up due to massive swellings on its rump. A veterinarian lanced the lump and drained gallons of fluid, tissue and dead muscle. She said vets told her they were "100 percent certain" Addi's condition was due to Mr. Nugent's intentional and cruel treatment.
Mr. Nugent could receive a suspended prison sentence of 60 days on the felony charge.
Mrs. Reilly said she has been heartened by the support she has received since Addi's story. She said she has had phone calls form all over the area offering to help care for her horses.
"We just moved here," she said, "and the support we've received from our neighbors and stuff has been absolutely incredible."
Case UpdatesThe Anderson Creek horse trainer charged with facing multiple animal cruelty charges was found guilty of misdemeanor cruelty to animals in Lillington District Court Friday.
"It was a victory for animals and for horses," said Tonya Reilly of Lillington. "That's a good feeling because it wasn't looking good." Mrs. Reilly's 10-year-old horse Addi was allegedly beaten by 26-year-old Michael Joseph Nugent of Bunnlevel with a shovel until it broke. A felony charge against Mr. Nugent for his treatment of Addi is still pending.
Friday's trial involved the simple assault and misdemeanor animal cruelty. Mr. Nugent was charged after allegedly assaulting the son of a neighboring couple who confronted him about his treatment of a horse in his care.
Mr. Nugent was found not guilty of simple assault but guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty. District Court Judge Addie Rawls ordered that Mr. Nugent no longer board horses without being properly licensed.
Senior Assistant District Attorney Peter Strickland said the defendant had not been licensed previously.
Mr. Nugent's attorney, Tim Morris of Erwin, appealed and both charges will be heard again, this time in Superior Court on a date to be determined. "I
believe that a jury will acquit him of all these charges," Mr. Morris said. "I don't believe he's done a thing."
"The family for the assault was really, really upset," Mrs. Reilly said. "
But at least they get another chance when they go to superior court."
Sonja Best, a former employee of Mr. Nugent's M&T Stables, testified Friday. Ms. Best was kicked out of the stables and charged with theft and failure to pay stable fees after she refused to testify in Mr. Nugent's defense. Mrs. Reilly said she felt the charges against Ms. Best were an attempt to discredit her.
Mrs. Reilly said Ms. Best "did a great job" on the stand. "Absolutely wonderful," she said. Mr. Nugent, who does not have a previous criminal record, testified in his own defense.
"I think he was very surprised and very upset he was found guilty of animal cruelty," Mrs. Reilly said. "I believe he didn't think anything was going to happen. I believe he thinks the felony charges were just going to go away, and they're not. He ruined a perfectly good horse."
Mr. Nugent waived his right to a probable cause hearing, scheduled for tomorrow, on the felony charge and the matter will go directly to a grand jury, which will decide if there is sufficient evidence for an indictment.
Mrs. Reilly said she has also filed a civil claim in small claims court, which she said is scheduled for Oct. 7, for $653.50. She said Mr. Nugent had
demanded $1,340 from her in board and training fees.
Mrs. Reilly removed Addi form M&T Stables in April after the horse, which had spent 16 days there, was unable to back up due to massive swellings on its rump. A veterinarian lanced the lump and drained gallons of fluid, tissue and dead muscle. She said vets told her they were "100 percent certain" Addi's condition was due to Mr. Nugent's intentional and cruel treatment.
Mr. Nugent could receive a suspended prison sentence of 60 days on the felony charge. | Source: Dunn Daily Record - Sep 29, 2003
Update posted on Nov 22, 2005 - 9:05PM |
References« NC State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Harnett County, NC
|
