Case Details

Dogs shot and killed with shotgun
Bethalto, IL (US)

Date: Nov 23, 2004
Local Map: available
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Michael A. Harman

Case ID: 3236
Classification: Shooting
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
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Animal was offleash or loose
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A Bethalto man was charged on Dec 1 with shooting and killing two of his neighbor�s Labrador retrievers. Michael A. Harman, 44, of the 7500 block of Vonnahmen Road, was charged in Madison County Circuit Court with two Class 4 felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals. If convicted, he could face up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Officials with the Madison County Sheriff�s Department said Harman was taken into custody and booked into the Madison County Jail in Edwardsville at 6:25 p.m. He was released after posting $4,000 bond.

Lt. John Lakin, chief of detectives for the Sheriff�s Department, said investigators have a witness who claims to have seen Harman shoot the two dogs -- one a 2-year-old black Lab and the other a 3-year-old yellow Lab -- with a shotgun.

The witness said the shooting happened while the dogs were on Harman�s property.

Reached at his home late Wednesday night, Harman admitted shooting the dogs but insisted he did not kill them.

"I�ve had several cats killed by dogs," he said, asserting that packs of stray dogs run loose in the neighborhood regularly and that many people in the neighborhood complain about it.

"Evidently, I did the wrong thing," he said. "I like pets as much as the next person."

Lakin said the owner claims the dogs went missing Nov. 23. The owner filed a police report and placed an advertisement in The Telegraph shortly thereafter.

Authorities and the owner soon received anonymous calls saying Harman had shot the dogs.

Lakin said authorities questioned Harman, but he denied wrongdoing.

The witness then came forward and helped authorities find one dog�s body near Harman�s home.

The remains were taken to a veterinarian, who examined and X-rayed the dog and confirmed that it had been killed by a shotgun.

Not having interviewed Harman yet, Lakin couldn�t suggest a possible motive.

He said the dogs were said to be well-behaved and that the owner didn�t report having had disputes with Harman in the past.

In 2000, Harman pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail.

That sentence was lifted on the condition that Harman stay away from East Middle School for the 2000-2001 school year, except under certain conditions.

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References

The Telegraph - Dec 2, 2004
Edwardsville Intelligencer - Dec 3, 2004

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