Case Details

Teacher charged in dog poisoning
Hagerstown, MD (US)

Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 3, 2004
County: Washington
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Courtney Dale Beard

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 2529
Classification: Poisoning
Animal: dog (non pit-bull), cow, bird (wildlife)
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Animal was offleash or loose
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A teacher at E. Russell Hicks Middle School has been charged with poisoning two dogs, one of which died, according to the Washington County Sheriff's Department and court records.

Courtney D. Beard, 59,of Hagerstown,MD, was charged with one felony count of animal cruelty-mutilate animal, two misdemeanor counts of malicious destruction of property less than $500 and one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty-leave poison/ground glass, the sheriff's department said in a prepared press release.

A Hagerstown man was offering a reward of $5,000 to anyone with information about poisoned animal fat found in his backyard that placed his dog, Charlie, in an animal hospital.

The Hagerstown man who lives in a east of Hagerstown said that he is �concerned about people who have pets in the community or have small children.�

Two birds in the neighborhood and a cat, found on steps to a house across the street from him, have also been found dead in the neighborhood this week.

Pamphlets of warning passed out to his neighbors say, �Somebody is poisoning our pets in the community.�

Humane Society of Washington County Maryland
13011 Maugansville
Road Hagerstown, MD 21740
(301)733-2060

Case Updates

The state will end its prosecution of a sixth-grade science teacher accused of fatally poisoning a neighbor's dog in return for his $4,000 donation to the local Humane Society, lawyers for both sides said Wednesday.
They discussed the settlement a day before defendant Courtney D. Beard, 60, was scheduled to appear in Washington County Circuit Court to appeal his conviction for allegedly killing an 18-month-old poodle named Charlie by feeding him fat laced with antifreeze.

"It doesn't bring back our dog, but it does make me feel like some good is going to come out of this," said Eric Rosenthal, Charlie's owner.

His lawyer, John R. Salvatore, said Beard agreed to the settlement to eliminate any risk that his conviction on charges of animal cruelty and malicious destruction would be upheld.

Salvatore said Beard had no qualms about donating to the Humane Society of Washington County: "He is an animal lover and a dog lover."

Deputy State's Attorney Joseph Michael said the donation "will do more good for the homeless cats and dogs of Washington County than whatever punishment might have resulted from a conviction."

A county district court judge convicted Beard, a teacher at E. Russell Hicks Middle School in Hagerstown, on Dec. 21 despite a lack of direct evidence linking him to the poison that killed Charlie and sickened Nikki, a collie-spaniel mix also owned by the Rosenthals.

Witnesses testified that Beard was prone to profanity-laced outbursts at the sound of barking dogs and the sight of children and pets crossing his meticulously tended lawn in the upscale Black Rock Estates subdivision. Prosecutors alleged he poisoned the dogs June 27 after bellowing at Nikki, "You shut up or I'm going to come over there and shut you up."
Source: wtopnews.com - June 16, 2005
Update posted on Jun 16, 2005 - 11:07AM 
A sixth-grade science teacher was convicted Tuesday of fatally poisoning a neighbor's dog with antifreeze-laced animal fat after eight years of cussing out barking canines in his upscale neighborhood. Courtney D. Beard, 59, denied ever having harmed a dog but he acknowledged being irritated by noisy ones - and their owners.

"They don't have any right to let those dogs out there bark like they do," Beard testified in Washington County District Court. "They bark like mad."

Despite a dearth of direct evidence linking Beard to the poison, Judge John C. Coolahan convicted him of animal cruelty and malicious destruction of property. He fined Beard $600 and ordered him take anger-management classes.

Beard will appeal the verdict to Washington County Circuit Court, said his lawyer, John R. Salvatore.

Beard remains an employee of Washington County Public Schools, where he teaches at E. Russell Hicks Middle School, said Carol Mowen, a school system spokeswoman.

Beard was convicted of poisoning Charlie, an 18-month-old poodle owned by Eric and Shawn Rosenthal, by tossing chunks of tainted fat over the Rosenthal's back-yard fence. The Rosenthal's other dog, a collie-spaniel mix named Nikki, recovered from antifreeze poisoning.

Eric Rosenthal, president of a local furniture store, said he incurred $6,000 in veterinary medical expenses, including sending Charlie to an animal hospital in New York City.

"It just blows me away that someone could actually do this to a poor, helpless animal," Rosenthal said. "You would think a teacher would have a little more restraint and more patience."

Prosecutors alleged that Beard poisoned the dogs on the night of June 27 after a particularly emphatic outburst in which he bellowed at Nikki, "You shut up or I'm going to come over there and shut you up."

Neighbor Carolyn Moser-Smith, a retired federal worker, testified that she witnessed the exchange from her back yard deck. "It sounded like he was panicked and desperate" after repeatedly yelling at the dogs over a 30-minute period, she said. She described the barking as "pretty relentless."

She and others from the Black Rock Estates subdivision, where home prices start at $450,000, portrayed Beard as a private man prone to explosions of expletives at the sound of a barking dog or the sight of a child or pet on his meticulously tended, three-acre estate.

Salvatore acknowledged that his client had "a short fuse," but he said Beard wasn't violent. "He has a quick flash point. He's over it quickly."

Neighbor J. Michael Nye, a marketing consultant whose two dogs also enraged Beard, said most families in the subdivision east of Hagerstown have canines. "It's a dog community," he said.

Judge Coolahan told Beard that while it was understandable that "you got irritated by animals barking at you, you can't handle the problem by poisoning."
Source: ABC7 News - Dec 22, 2004
Update posted on Dec 28, 2004 - 1:22AM 
HAGERSTOWN, MD- A local middle school science teacher will head back to the classroom, despite accusations that he killed his neighbors` dog. Courtney Beard will welcome his students back to school on Wednesday.
Beard is accused dipping a piece of meat in anti-freeze and feeding it to his neighbor`s dog.

"All citizens of United States are entitled to due process under constitution and people are innocent until proven guilty. For that reason it would be inappropriate to make a reassignment at this time," said Carol Mowen with the Washington County Board of Education.

Beard, who teaches at E. Russell Hicks Middle School, faces four charges of animal cruelty and malicious destruction of property. He could spend up to three years in jail.
Source: nbc25.com
Update posted on Aug 26, 2004 - 4:26PM 

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References

herald-mail.com - July 3, 2004
NBC 25 - August 11, 2004
NBC 25 - January 4, 2005

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