Duck Cruelty Case Overturned on Appeal

(New Bedford, Massachusetts) In December 2009, a 25-year-old man, Joshua Linhares, was convicted of animal cruelty for running over a duck. Although prosecutors sought a year in jail for Linhares, he was sentenced to one year of probation.

This week, New Bedford District Court Judge Thomas Kirkman overturned the conviction of Linhares since there is no evidence that he intentionally ran over the duck.

District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter said he will not appeal Judge Kirkman's decision due to a lack of funds available to prosecute duck killers. Sutter said he'd appeal "in a heartbeat" if he could.