Terry Cullen raided

[j_h_smith]

It's funny when the "experts" are caught red-handed. Hahaha!

Not one of the Dale Carnegie quotes I remember.

Jim Smith

[ER12]

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/reptile...h-terry-cullen

We're sitting down with Terry Cullen, to talk about the nightmare that he's currently living. That nightmare being bankrupt, facing life in prison, outcast by an industry he's devoted his life's work to. Is this really what happens with you cross the HSUS? Do we as an industry automatically ASSUME the Government and the HUSU are telling us the whole story? Not me.... I’ve been contacted by some very prominent members of the herpetological scientific community whom have expressed the huge impact this situation will have on crocodilian conservation worldwide. One member said, we can expect at least 5 species of crocodilians to become extinct (Gone for gone!) if/when Terry goes to prison.

[bcr229]

Yes, I realize this is a necro thread but there is an update after five long years, proving yet again that the wheels of justice grind slowly, but grind exceedingly fine.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwauk...378647821.html

Six years after Milwaukee police broke into Terry Cullen's properties, killed his dogs and seized hundreds of lizards, snakes and crocodiles, the internationally known reptile expert has asked a federal court to award him more than $4.4 million in damages.

The May 2010 raids made national news, as police and wildlife officials claimed the exotic animals were being illegally possessed or mistreated, all claims disputed by Cullen, who was ultimately cleared of a variety of charges.

Cullen's lawsuit accuses police of lying to get search warrants, ignoring less destructive options for conducting their investigation, and leaving his business and reputation in tatters, all in violation of his civil rights.

The raids were prompted by an Illinois woman who told authorities that Cullen had assaulted her during a visit to one of his Milwaukee residences to discuss an internship with his reptile rescue and rehabilitation operation.

In 2012, prosecutors acknowledged the victim had serious credibility issues, and agreed to dismiss two felonies based on the woman's claims and several misdemeanors related to Cullen's care and storage of the animals, in exchange for Cullen pleading no contest to fourth-degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor, as part of a deferred prosecution. After he met various conditions of the agreement, the conviction was vacated.

Cullen's friend and business associate, Jane Flint, was also arrested and charged in 2010, but prosecutors later dismissed all charges against her. She filed her own civil rights suit against the city in 2014 over the execution of the dogs, Tibetan mastiffs named Tong and Pogo. That case recently settled.

Many of the seized animals later died.

Cullen blamed a lack of knowledge about the creatures, many of them exotic snakes, lizards and alligators, many on loan from zoos.

His lawsuit estimates the value of all the seized wildlife inventory at $2 million. It also accuses police of taking guns, computers, tools, cash and jewelry from the four residences they searched without waiting for offered assistance from Cullen's staff.

"Instead Defendants deliberately and recklessly rushed to conclusions and took actions that were patently unfair and which violated Plaintiffs' clearly established constitutional rights including their rights to due process, and freedom from unreasonable searches, seizures and permanent deprivations; amongst others," the suit reads in part.

In addition to the damages sought for the lost animals, Cullen seeks another $2 million in lost income, and more than $400,000 for his costs to repair damage to his four properties caused by the raids and subsequent alleged failure by the city to secure them adequately, and for repairing his reputation on the internet, where stories of his case spread around the reptile conservation world.

It also seeks unspecified punitive damages.

Police knew for about a week before they served a search warrant at one residence owned by Cullen, where Flint was staying, that there were four large dogs inside. The day of the search, Flint told detectives she would come home immediately from work to confine or remove the dogs before officers conducted the search for endangered reptiles, or could have a friend get the dogs sooner.

But officers, including members of a tactical team, did not wait. After they entered, they shot two of the dogs with assault rifles, shortly before Flint arrived. The surviving dogs, Mung and Shombu, were led out in catch nooses.

Contrary to Milwaukee police policy, no use of force report was written about the shooting of the dogs until months later, according to Cullen's suit, and video being taken by police stops right before the dogs are killed before restarting again after they're dead.

The suit names as defendants two police officers, several yet to be named individuals in the Police Department, the city and a yet to be identified insurance company. The city attorney's office does not comment on pending litigation.

[OhhWatALoser]

Still terrible that it happened, but glad things got set straight in the eyes of the law. Makes me sick thinking of losing my small collection, could only imagine a 2 million dollar business.