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Animal abuse nets man nearly six months jail time
KAREN RIVEDAL 608-252-6106
krivedal@madison.com
A 21-year-old former Madison man will spend nearly six months in jail for viciously abusing two dogs belonging to his then-girlfriend last year on the city's Far East Side.
Jeremiah J. Purtell of West Bend was sentenced Wednesday in Dane County Circuit Court to nearly six months in jail and five years of probation for killing one of the dogs and leaving the other one blind and hobbled with two broken legs. He begins a jail sentence, with work-release privileges, in Washington County on May 19.
"The behavior was very disturbing," Assistant District Attorney Paul Humphrey said Wednesday. "He has some mental problems, but I don't think that fully explains his aggressive and vicious behavior."
The criminal complaint says Purtell told police he hurt the dogs over a six-week period starting in February 2006, when he moved into his then- girlfriend's apartment.
The woman, who was studying to be a veterinary technician at Madison Area Technical College, called police in March 2006 after finding one of the dogs limping. She said the animals had suffered injuries only after being alone with Purtell.
One dog, a 2-year-old Scottish terrier named Harry, died from a lacerated liver after Purtell admitted choking him and pressing his knee into the animal. Harry died March 8.
The other dog, named Arrow, survived Purtell's attacks with fractures to both left legs. The year-old Shetland sheep dog also suffered cuts to his tail and one leg and a severe eye injury caused when Purtell used a needle to completely perforate the dog's cornea and lens capsule, leaving him blind.
Police said Purtell told them he would hurt the dogs after they had accidents on the floor or when he got depressed because they didn't want to "cuddle" with him. He admitted swinging the sheep dog around the apartment by his leg and striking him with a small pipe.
Purtell told his then-girlfriend that Arrow was injured by running into stereo speakers, but a veterinarian who examined the dog said the injuries could not have happened that way.
"I think (Purtell) has a disconnect relative to how he can do this to animals, such torturous types of behavior and such violent behavior, and yet be so cold and cunning when he dealt with (his ex- girlfriend)," Humphrey said.
Purtell pleaded no contest on Nov. 16 to two felony counts of causing death by mistreating animals and one misdemeanor count of intentionally mistreating animals. As part of a plea agreement, three other misdemeanors were dismissed but "read in," meaning they could be considered at sentencing.
Judge James Martin on Wednesday also required Purtell to get anger management counseling and any required psychological treatment. A probation agent will make checks to ensure that Purtell owns no animals, Humphrey said.
Purtell could have received up to seven years for the two felony counts. But Humphrey said he never believed the abuse warranted prison time.
"I thought it was (a case that called for) a long probation and a significant amount of jail time," he said Wednesday.
KAREN RIVEDAL 608-252-6106
krivedal@madison.com
A 21-year-old former Madison man will spend nearly six months in jail for viciously abusing two dogs belonging to his then-girlfriend last year on the city's Far East Side.
Jeremiah J. Purtell of West Bend was sentenced Wednesday in Dane County Circuit Court to nearly six months in jail and five years of probation for killing one of the dogs and leaving the other one blind and hobbled with two broken legs. He begins a jail sentence, with work-release privileges, in Washington County on May 19.
"The behavior was very disturbing," Assistant District Attorney Paul Humphrey said Wednesday. "He has some mental problems, but I don't think that fully explains his aggressive and vicious behavior."
The criminal complaint says Purtell told police he hurt the dogs over a six-week period starting in February 2006, when he moved into his then- girlfriend's apartment.
The woman, who was studying to be a veterinary technician at Madison Area Technical College, called police in March 2006 after finding one of the dogs limping. She said the animals had suffered injuries only after being alone with Purtell.
One dog, a 2-year-old Scottish terrier named Harry, died from a lacerated liver after Purtell admitted choking him and pressing his knee into the animal. Harry died March 8.
The other dog, named Arrow, survived Purtell's attacks with fractures to both left legs. The year-old Shetland sheep dog also suffered cuts to his tail and one leg and a severe eye injury caused when Purtell used a needle to completely perforate the dog's cornea and lens capsule, leaving him blind.
Police said Purtell told them he would hurt the dogs after they had accidents on the floor or when he got depressed because they didn't want to "cuddle" with him. He admitted swinging the sheep dog around the apartment by his leg and striking him with a small pipe.
Purtell told his then-girlfriend that Arrow was injured by running into stereo speakers, but a veterinarian who examined the dog said the injuries could not have happened that way.
"I think (Purtell) has a disconnect relative to how he can do this to animals, such torturous types of behavior and such violent behavior, and yet be so cold and cunning when he dealt with (his ex- girlfriend)," Humphrey said.
Purtell pleaded no contest on Nov. 16 to two felony counts of causing death by mistreating animals and one misdemeanor count of intentionally mistreating animals. As part of a plea agreement, three other misdemeanors were dismissed but "read in," meaning they could be considered at sentencing.
Judge James Martin on Wednesday also required Purtell to get anger management counseling and any required psychological treatment. A probation agent will make checks to ensure that Purtell owns no animals, Humphrey said.
Purtell could have received up to seven years for the two felony counts. But Humphrey said he never believed the abuse warranted prison time.
"I thought it was (a case that called for) a long probation and a significant amount of jail time," he said Wednesday.
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