Just for reference...Here is the "controversial" article.

[mpillow]

http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.co.../1427623.shtml

FARMINGTON -- A Franklin County jury Friday morning took about 15 minutes to find Carol Murphy guilty of animal cruelty for neglecting more than 60 animals at her New Sharon home last winter.

Murphy, 60, is guilty of four counts of illegal possession of wildlife, namely two Russian tortoises, pygmy hedgehogs, a peacock, and a Quaker parrot. She was also convicted of cruelty to animals for depriving the farm and domestic animals of food, medical attention, proper shelter, protection form the weather and humanely clean conditions.

Justice Joseph Jabar ordered her to undergo a psychological examination and delayed sentencing until April 1. Her bail conditions prohibit her from possessing animals.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson said outside the courtroom that the case against Murphy was strong and was backed up by detailed photos. It was a time-consuming trial, he said, because it involved lining up so many state humane workers and witnesses. They had to be brought in twice since Murphy fired her second lawyer last month and the trial was rescheduled for this week with her third lawyer, Andrews Campbell.

Robinson said the jury's quickly-reached verdict showed there was little doubt of the abuse. "It is rewarding when a group of people come together to bring someone to justice and she is held accountable for her actions."

Campbell said he may appeal, based on Jabar's decision to exclude evidence that Campbell said would have shown the bias of several prosecution witnesses.

The jury of seven men and five women were instructed by Jabar that they only needed to find one animal that had been mistreated one time in order to find Murphy guilty of animal cruelty. Juror Joel Hayden of Farmington said that was not hard to do.

"We did not all think of the same animal and different people had different opinions, but it was narrowed down by the judge. One fairly obvious thing was the air quality in the house," he said. "But I did have sympathy for her."

During the trial, Murphy claimed there was a conspiracy among some of the state's witnesses to steal her animals. She also said pictures offered as evidence by the Animal Welfare Board were staged and were not taken when officials said they were. And she contended she was caring for the animals as best she could but had been sick with a respiratory illness when the violations occurred.

Norma Worley, director of the state's Animal Welfare Board, which seized the livestock and house pets last March, said the state is cracking down harder now on people who mistreat animals, and that criminal cases are pending in Windsor, Fayette, Lagrange, and Prospect involve abuse of 15 to 49 animals.

"When I took this job two years ago, this was one of the mandates -- to create a program that would be successful, not only in protecting the animals but also in holding those responsible in court," Worley said.

Even with only four full-time humane agents, the number of complaints jumped from 556 in 2003 to 744 in 2004, she said.

"People are becoming more aware that there is someone they can call and that something will be done," she said.

Melanie Nadeau of Farmington was one of the people who reported Murphy after visiting her home last March. She has since adopted and nursed back to health many of the seized farm animals and pets, including a duck whose feet had frozen and fallen off and whose legs had become infected. The duck, named "Disco," just laid its first egg this week, she said.

Nadeau said she was pleased with the verdict that showed Murphy was buying and collecting animals she was unable to care for and then became overwhelmed with the expense and responsibility.

"There was no way she could take care of all those animals on her own," she said.

The livestock seized included sheep, calves, ponies, goats, turkeys, and ducks. Inside, there were dogs, reptiles, birds, rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders, and pot-bellied pigs that were taken to the Kennebec County Humane Society and were adopted.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

[pyrnad]

Originally Posted by mpillow

http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.co.../1427623.shtml

FARMINGTON -- A Franklin County jury Friday morning took about 15 minutes to find Carol Murphy guilty of animal cruelty for neglecting more than 60 animals at her New Sharon home last winter.

Murphy, 60, is guilty of four counts of illegal possession of wildlife, namely two Russian tortoises, pygmy hedgehogs, a peacock, and a Quaker parrot. She was also convicted of cruelty to animals for depriving the farm and domestic animals of food, medical attention, proper shelter, protection form the weather and humanely clean conditions.

Justice Joseph Jabar ordered her to undergo a psychological examination and delayed sentencing until April 1. Her bail conditions prohibit her from possessing animals.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson said outside the courtroom that the case against Murphy was strong and was backed up by detailed photos. It was a time-consuming trial, he said, because it involved lining up so many state humane workers and witnesses. They had to be brought in twice since Murphy fired her second lawyer last month and the trial was rescheduled for this week with her third lawyer, Andrews Campbell.

Robinson said the jury's quickly-reached verdict showed there was little doubt of the abuse. "It is rewarding when a group of people come together to bring someone to justice and she is held accountable for her actions."

Campbell said he may appeal, based on Jabar's decision to exclude evidence that Campbell said would have shown the bias of several prosecution witnesses.

The jury of seven men and five women were instructed by Jabar that they only needed to find one animal that had been mistreated one time in order to find Murphy guilty of animal cruelty. Juror Joel Hayden of Farmington said that was not hard to do.

"We did not all think of the same animal and different people had different opinions, but it was narrowed down by the judge. One fairly obvious thing was the air quality in the house," he said. "But I did have sympathy for her."

During the trial, Murphy claimed there was a conspiracy among some of the state's witnesses to steal her animals. She also said pictures offered as evidence by the Animal Welfare Board were staged and were not taken when officials said they were. And she contended she was caring for the animals as best she could but had been sick with a respiratory illness when the violations occurred.

Norma Worley, director of the state's Animal Welfare Board, which seized the livestock and house pets last March, said the state is cracking down harder now on people who mistreat animals, and that criminal cases are pending in Windsor, Fayette, Lagrange, and Prospect involve abuse of 15 to 49 animals.

"When I took this job two years ago, this was one of the mandates -- to create a program that would be successful, not only in protecting the animals but also in holding those responsible in court," Worley said.

Even with only four full-time humane agents, the number of complaints jumped from 556 in 2003 to 744 in 2004, she said.

"People are becoming more aware that there is someone they can call and that something will be done," she said.

Melanie Nadeau of Farmington was one of the people who reported Murphy after visiting her home last March. She has since adopted and nursed back to health many of the seized farm animals and pets, including a duck whose feet had frozen and fallen off and whose legs had become infected. The duck, named "Disco," just laid its first egg this week, she said.

Nadeau said she was pleased with the verdict that showed Murphy was buying and collecting animals she was unable to care for and then became overwhelmed with the expense and responsibility.

"There was no way she could take care of all those animals on her own," she said.

The livestock seized included sheep, calves, ponies, goats, turkeys, and ducks. Inside, there were dogs, reptiles, birds, rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders, and pot-bellied pigs that were taken to the Kennebec County Humane Society and were adopted.

Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991

And that is the truth
I saw all of this first hand. anny questions please ask. when I testified at the criminal I had all 12 on the jury crying even the men.

[Sumer]

56 views and no replys yet? Well let me be the first to say that sure dosent sound contriversal , sounds darn near heroic to me. Takeing in a bunch of animals that were found to be neglected and nursing them back to health at my own expence. That is more than I myself could do.

Sumer

[sullen]

Thanks, Sumer, I thought I had just missed something. I am busy this time of year and only pop in and out.

[Micahn]

I am sort of lost here. How is this story making pyrnad look bad ?

[Jillis]

One of the members posting on a pyrnad thread made it sound as if pyrnad was going around getting people in trouble by reporting them.

[Qwispea]

I appreciate the link to the newspaper article ..but is that really the article tsdave was referring to?
If memory serves me correctly ..I recall that tsdave mentioned a 22 page 15,000 word article!

[pyrnad]

Originally Posted by Qwispea

I appreciate the link to the newspaper article ..but is that really the article tsdave was referring to?
If memory serves me correctly ..I recall that tsdave mentioned a 22 page 15,000 word article!

Artical was written by Carol Murphy at conviction. Ramblings of a nut
Her animals lived in horror. An animal concentration camp. I was there. It was my photos that made the jury cry, yes all 12 of them, and me also. Not staged photos this was reality. Anyone interested pm me. I will gladly share them. They were evidence in a trial and are public info. Make sure you can handle the horror if you ask.

[tsdave]

pyrnad, may i post the link to the article i was refering to ?
It being the _other side_ of the story ?

[Qwispea]

I never knew what a Great Pyrenees breed looked like ..until I saw this picture:
http://cancer.med.unc.edu/news/archi...erity/wish.asp

They are beautiful dogs!

[pyrnad]

Originally Posted by tsdave

pyrnad, may i post the link to the article i was refering to ?
It being the _other side_ of the story ?

dave do you really want to go their and shut down another thread
This woman has been tried and convicted . Not the other side of the story, but go for it

[Qwispea]

Here is another article from the same newpaper that mpillow referenced ..which explains a little bit about the miserable conditions those animals had to suffer:
http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.co.../1425017.shtml


For the record ..anybody who goes well out of their way to rescue abused animals ..and then spends countless hours and dollars to help nurse them back to health deserves to be favorably recognized.



I commend pyrnad for her hard work and her caring heart in that regard.

[pyrnad]

Originally Posted by Qwispea

Here is another article from the same newpaper that mpillow referenced ..which explains a little bit about the miserable conditions those animals had to suffer:
http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.co.../1425017.shtml


For the record ..anybody who goes well out of their way to rescue abused animals ..and then spends countless hours and dollars to help nurse them back to health deserves to be favorably recognized.



I commend pyrnad for her hard work and her caring heart in that regard.

Thanks. You have no idea how hard it was to bring some back from the dead. I still own the footless duck. She had ducklings this spring. All of the animals found good homes, I did not sell the animals. All found good homes .

[tsdave]

http://whenvulturesrule.bravehost.com/

[Qwispea]

Originally Posted by pyrnad

dave do you really want to go their and shut down another thread
This woman has been tried and convicted . Not the other side of the story, but go for it

I think since mpillow opened this thread by claiming that her link was the article that tsdave was referring to ..then I also think tsdave ought to be able to provide the actual article he was referring to.

..I highly doubt that any link referencing the "ramblings of a nut" would make pyrnad look bad.

[pyrnad]

Originally Posted by Qwispea

I never knew what a Great Pyrenees breed looked like ..until I saw this picture:
http://cancer.med.unc.edu/news/archi...erity/wish.asp

They are beautiful dogs!

Thanks for the pr Now you know what I look like after a 16 hour drive

[sullen]

"The two women, Mary Baumgarten and Melanie Nadeau, who brought the original complaint were friends with each other. Both run puppy mills. Nadeau is on the Department of Agriculture’s "Maine Animal Welfare Council". "

Soo we are supposed to believe some lady, who Pyrnad already said was nuts, over Pyrnad? Is she proving the "puppy mill" allegation? You an't just accuse someone of running something like that. Her wording already points to a lunatic.

[Qwispea]

Originally Posted by pyrnad

Thanks for the pr Now you know what I look like after a 16 hour drive

Thanks for talking to me pyrnad! I never was against you ..I merely had a lot of questions. I still ..honestly ..wish the very very best for you.

Take care!


...and if I may be so bold ..I'd like to ask you to please encourage all those who support you ..to not personally attack anybody for merely asking questions and/or for disagreeing with certain aspects.
I think coming from you ..it might help keep the thread open so we can continue to learn how your situation is progressing. Please!

[seedspreader]

Originally Posted by tsdave

http://whenvulturesrule.bravehost.com/

Not really a news article but more of a personal blog response.

Of course I would be VERY careful of throwing around the accusations of "puppy mill" like this lady did, but then again, she is familiar enough with a court room to know the risk of doing that I suppose.

The article comes across as sour grapes. But then I ain't got a dog in this fight so it don't matter what I think.

[tsdave]

i never said i beleived it , infact i said it was 90% bullshot.
I did say it was enough to ask _questions_ .