Bullied and Now Behind Bars
A Farm Sanctuary Alert
Adam Durand, the Compassionate Consumers investigator who revealed egregious animal cruelty at Wegmans egg farm, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 16 to six months in jail for trespassing. This stiff sentence, and the failure of authorities to address the animal suffering documented at Wegmans' egg farm, represents an extreme miscarriage of justice. Adam Durand brought to light the suffering of animals at Wegmans egg farm, despite the company's erroneous claim that no evidence of animal abuse exists.
Wegmans asked for jail time and "Essentially, the judge gave [Durand] the exact sentence that Wegmans requested," according to attorney Len Egert. A jury acquitted Durand of burglary and larceny charges, but convicted him of trespassing. The Wayne County Probation office recommended only community service - yet Adam received six months in jail. "I think it's excessive, given the circumstances," Egert told the Associated Press. "This is a low-level misdemeanor offense and Adam has no prior criminal record. For Wegmans to come in and ask for the maximum and get it is disturbing."
The Finger Lakes Times reported that Judge Dennis Kehoe harshly called Adam "arrogant and self-righteous" and stated during sentencing that if the activists had truly cared about the hens, they would have contacted the authorities. In fact, the authorities were contacted! Farm Sanctuary first contacted Wayne County humane officer, Richard Gerbasi, on October 15, 2004 with evidence that we received on this case, including a letter describing the hens' conditions, a videotape showing the horrendous conditions of Wegmans egg farm in Wolcott, New York, and veterinarian necropsy reports. This officer then sent the evidence to District Attorney Richard Healy. Richard Gerbasi reported back to Farm Sanctuary in November that the D.A. was reluctant to prosecute Wegmans since he felt the conditions depicted on the evidence sent to him represented an isolated case. Farm Sanctuary then urged the D.A. on 11/24/04 to obtain a search warrant to make an unannounced visit to the facility. We never received a reply from him, but Farm Sanctuary was 'interviewed' by a criminal investigator with the New York State police.
Wegmans prides itself on good customer relations and satisfaction. However, unbeknownst to many of its shoppers, Wegmans has not only consistently denied the abuse and neglect of the hens at its private egg farm, it has attempted to bully Adam Durand by encouraging a judge to throw him behind bars.
You Can Help!
Please write polite letters to the prosecuting District Attorney and the presiding County Court Judge, expressing your concern for the injustice of not only failing to prosecute Wegmans for denying birds basic humane consideration, but for putting their rescuer behind bars!
District Attorney Richard Healy
Hall of Justice
Suite 202
Lyons, NY 14489
phone: 315-946-5905
fax: 315-946-5911
Hon. Dennis M. Kehoe
Wayne County Court
Wayne County Hall of Justice
Room 106
54 Broad Street
Lyons, NY 14489
Click Here to read history on this case.
For more information and to get involved, please contact: campaign@farmsanctuary.org
A Farm Sanctuary Alert
Adam Durand, the Compassionate Consumers investigator who revealed egregious animal cruelty at Wegmans egg farm, was sentenced on Tuesday, May 16 to six months in jail for trespassing. This stiff sentence, and the failure of authorities to address the animal suffering documented at Wegmans' egg farm, represents an extreme miscarriage of justice. Adam Durand brought to light the suffering of animals at Wegmans egg farm, despite the company's erroneous claim that no evidence of animal abuse exists.
Wegmans asked for jail time and "Essentially, the judge gave [Durand] the exact sentence that Wegmans requested," according to attorney Len Egert. A jury acquitted Durand of burglary and larceny charges, but convicted him of trespassing. The Wayne County Probation office recommended only community service - yet Adam received six months in jail. "I think it's excessive, given the circumstances," Egert told the Associated Press. "This is a low-level misdemeanor offense and Adam has no prior criminal record. For Wegmans to come in and ask for the maximum and get it is disturbing."
The Finger Lakes Times reported that Judge Dennis Kehoe harshly called Adam "arrogant and self-righteous" and stated during sentencing that if the activists had truly cared about the hens, they would have contacted the authorities. In fact, the authorities were contacted! Farm Sanctuary first contacted Wayne County humane officer, Richard Gerbasi, on October 15, 2004 with evidence that we received on this case, including a letter describing the hens' conditions, a videotape showing the horrendous conditions of Wegmans egg farm in Wolcott, New York, and veterinarian necropsy reports. This officer then sent the evidence to District Attorney Richard Healy. Richard Gerbasi reported back to Farm Sanctuary in November that the D.A. was reluctant to prosecute Wegmans since he felt the conditions depicted on the evidence sent to him represented an isolated case. Farm Sanctuary then urged the D.A. on 11/24/04 to obtain a search warrant to make an unannounced visit to the facility. We never received a reply from him, but Farm Sanctuary was 'interviewed' by a criminal investigator with the New York State police.
Wegmans prides itself on good customer relations and satisfaction. However, unbeknownst to many of its shoppers, Wegmans has not only consistently denied the abuse and neglect of the hens at its private egg farm, it has attempted to bully Adam Durand by encouraging a judge to throw him behind bars.
You Can Help!
Please write polite letters to the prosecuting District Attorney and the presiding County Court Judge, expressing your concern for the injustice of not only failing to prosecute Wegmans for denying birds basic humane consideration, but for putting their rescuer behind bars!
District Attorney Richard Healy
Hall of Justice
Suite 202
Lyons, NY 14489
phone: 315-946-5905
fax: 315-946-5911
Hon. Dennis M. Kehoe
Wayne County Court
Wayne County Hall of Justice
Room 106
54 Broad Street
Lyons, NY 14489
Click Here to read history on this case.
For more information and to get involved, please contact: campaign@farmsanctuary.org
posted by a compassionate consumer @ 3:15 PM
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