Bird-killer gets jail time for drunken driving
http://www.app.com/app/story/0,21625,1095989,00.html
Published in the Asbury Park Press 10/30/04
By KATHLEEN HOPKINS
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- Spared a prison term in April for killing exotic birds at a Lacey zoo for abused and neglected animals, a 19-year-old Waretown man yesterday was sentenced to 90 days in the Ocean County Jail for violating his probation by driving drunk.
Superior Court Judge Edward J. Turnbach sentenced Matthew Mercuro to the jail term but spared him from state prison, saying that except for the drunken driving incident in June, Mercuro had complied with his probation.
Mercuro was one of three young men given probation for a destructive crime spree that involved killing flightless, exotic birds at the Associated Humane Societies' Popcorn Park Zoo for abused and neglected animals in Lacey's Forked River section. The case sparked the anger of animal lovers worldwide.
"I'd like to let you know I'm ashamed of my actions," Mercuro told the judge, sporting a goatee and wearing a herringbone blazer, shirt, tie and khaki pants. "While I'm ashamed of the things I've done, I'm willing to suffer the consequences."
In July, Turnbach sentenced a codefendant of Mercuro, Thomas Cavanaugh, 19, of Lacey, to an indeterminate term up to five years in state prison for violating his probation by using heroin about a month and a half after receiving the probationary term.
Mercuro, Cavanaugh, and Matthew Ronneberg, 19, also of Lacey, each were sentenced April 16 to three years' probation for the crime spree committed on May 18 and 19, 2003. Ronneberg has not violated probation.
Each of the three admitted they killed three ducks and five exotic, flightless birds at the Popcorn Park Zoo. They also stoned a goose to death at Wells Mills County Park in Waretown (Ocean Township). In addition, they spray-painted swastikas and set fires at Pinelands Paintball and smashed a window at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, both in Manchester.
When Turnbach sentenced the men to probation, he ordered them to continue to undergo drug rehabilitation, and he warned them if they violated the terms of their probation, he would send them to prison.
"Some punishment is required," Turnbach told Mercuro yesterday.
Mercuro was in an outpatient drug rehabilitation program when, on June 19, he was issued a summons by Waretown police for driving under the influence of alcohol.
His attorney, Brian White, said that Mercuro has since been found guilty of the offense and lost his driver's license for three months. He noted that while Mercuro is not yet old enough to legally drink alcohol, he told the judge his client has refrained from using illegal drugs.
Mercuro yesterday said he has come to realize his main problem is with alcohol, and he has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
"I'm hoping that they can rehabilitate or get this guy on the right track," John Bergmann, Popcorn Park Zoo director, said in a telephone interview after the court proceeding.
No one from the zoo was at the court proceeding yesterday.
"My initial feeling is that 90 days is a short amount of time for violating probation," Bergmann said.
But, he added, he did not believe drinking and driving was as serious as doing heroin.
Cavanaugh was sent to the state prison system for up to five years for violating probation after being ejected from Integrity House, an inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in Newark, on May 28 after twice testing positive for heroin use.
http://www.app.com/app/story/0,21625,1095989,00.html
Published in the Asbury Park Press 10/30/04
By KATHLEEN HOPKINS
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- Spared a prison term in April for killing exotic birds at a Lacey zoo for abused and neglected animals, a 19-year-old Waretown man yesterday was sentenced to 90 days in the Ocean County Jail for violating his probation by driving drunk.
Superior Court Judge Edward J. Turnbach sentenced Matthew Mercuro to the jail term but spared him from state prison, saying that except for the drunken driving incident in June, Mercuro had complied with his probation.
Mercuro was one of three young men given probation for a destructive crime spree that involved killing flightless, exotic birds at the Associated Humane Societies' Popcorn Park Zoo for abused and neglected animals in Lacey's Forked River section. The case sparked the anger of animal lovers worldwide.
"I'd like to let you know I'm ashamed of my actions," Mercuro told the judge, sporting a goatee and wearing a herringbone blazer, shirt, tie and khaki pants. "While I'm ashamed of the things I've done, I'm willing to suffer the consequences."
In July, Turnbach sentenced a codefendant of Mercuro, Thomas Cavanaugh, 19, of Lacey, to an indeterminate term up to five years in state prison for violating his probation by using heroin about a month and a half after receiving the probationary term.
Mercuro, Cavanaugh, and Matthew Ronneberg, 19, also of Lacey, each were sentenced April 16 to three years' probation for the crime spree committed on May 18 and 19, 2003. Ronneberg has not violated probation.
Each of the three admitted they killed three ducks and five exotic, flightless birds at the Popcorn Park Zoo. They also stoned a goose to death at Wells Mills County Park in Waretown (Ocean Township). In addition, they spray-painted swastikas and set fires at Pinelands Paintball and smashed a window at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, both in Manchester.
When Turnbach sentenced the men to probation, he ordered them to continue to undergo drug rehabilitation, and he warned them if they violated the terms of their probation, he would send them to prison.
"Some punishment is required," Turnbach told Mercuro yesterday.
Mercuro was in an outpatient drug rehabilitation program when, on June 19, he was issued a summons by Waretown police for driving under the influence of alcohol.
His attorney, Brian White, said that Mercuro has since been found guilty of the offense and lost his driver's license for three months. He noted that while Mercuro is not yet old enough to legally drink alcohol, he told the judge his client has refrained from using illegal drugs.
Mercuro yesterday said he has come to realize his main problem is with alcohol, and he has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
"I'm hoping that they can rehabilitate or get this guy on the right track," John Bergmann, Popcorn Park Zoo director, said in a telephone interview after the court proceeding.
No one from the zoo was at the court proceeding yesterday.
"My initial feeling is that 90 days is a short amount of time for violating probation," Bergmann said.
But, he added, he did not believe drinking and driving was as serious as doing heroin.
Cavanaugh was sent to the state prison system for up to five years for violating probation after being ejected from Integrity House, an inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in Newark, on May 28 after twice testing positive for heroin use.
