Community Corner

July Court Date for Jackman Animal Cruelty Case

Defense attorney for East Northport couple says charges are unfounded, certain matters may need to be litigated.

The defense attorney for Stephen and Kathleen Jackman said he will demand a trial if the Suffolk SPCA does not drop animal cruelty charges against the East Northport couple, adding that certain matters will likely have to be litigated.

Attorney Lawrence Carra of Mineola called the Suffolk SPCA's a "rush to judgement" and said the organization did not adequately consider facts in support of the couple's claims that they had taken care of the dog.

Carra said the dog was taken to the vet on numerous occasions to be treated for an eating disorder and that significant sums of money were spent in the dog's care. The family looked for the dog for three to five days and canvassed the area with posters after the dog got out in a thunder storm, said Carra, who maintained that the shelter which harbored the dog after it was found failed to alert the family.

Find out what's happening in Northportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Related:

Related:

Find out what's happening in Northportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It's [the Suffolk SPCA's] job to err on the side of caution to determine that no dog or any other animal is abused, but I think in this particular instance they were quick to rush to judgement and didn't provide the Jackman's with the opportunity to demonstrate those facts which should have been considered before arriving at the determination that the dog was mistreated," he said. "They were a little too quick on the trigger."

Requests for comment from the Suffolk SPCA were unreturned.

The Jackmans are due back in Suffolk First District Court in Central Islip on July 20.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here