A former WCAX news anchor found himself on the wrong side of a perp walk on Tuesday.
George Wilson (pictured) was charged with animal cruelty for allegedly keeping horses locked up inside dark stalls on his Shelburne property for years, and letting several other animals die. The 63-year-old was arraigned in Chittenden County Superior Court, under the gaze of local news reporters who used to be his colleagues.
Chittenden County State’s Attorney T.J. Donovan cited Wilson into court Friday, in part because he said Wilson owns guns and made threatening remarks to police investigating the cruelty. A judge ordered Wilson to forfeit the weapons.
According to a police affidavit, Wilson owns a high-powered rifle and made a “bee line” toward it after discovering law enforcement on his property January 15, but he was intercepted by an officer. Shelburne police officer Michael Thomas wrote that before Wilson headed for the gun, he said, “I want everyone to leave or someone is going to get hurt.”
Clarendon-based Spring Hill Horse Rescue, which removed two mares and a stallion from Wilson’s property on January 15, called it “the worst case of abuse and neglect we have ever seen.” The group said it found the horses — named Willie, Dolly and Lolly — standing in several feet of manure, almost blind from lack of sunlight, covered in lice and barely able to stand on badly overgrown hooves. They also found bags of bones from dead horses. (Click here for photos and more background.)
At Wednesday’s arraignment, Wilson joked with news crews lined up to film his perp walk. “It’s funny being on this side, isn’t it?” Wilson called out to a WCAX photographer before his arraignment. Afterward, he complimented Burlington Free Press reporter Mike Donoghue for being the first to confirm his identity as the owner of the horses.
But Wilson vigorously defended himself against the charges, pleading not guilty and saying he never threatened anyone. He denied he ever went for his gun. “I never did. It never came to my mind and I’m just unhappy that we had a large invasion force come onto our property without any notice. Who would like that? It’s as if the aliens landed at your house, took your dog, cat, your wife and absconded with them.”
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I lived on the farm with George and Ann when I was a UVM student in 1988 and 1989. I have not seen or had any contact with them in years.
I can state with certainty that they are big hearted wonderful people and that the welfare of their animals on the farm was a top priority.
Richard Sullivan. 310-926-5413
I second that emotion –absolutely what I was thinking!
can you share where this farm is on rt. 116?
Justice For Wilson
Let the man sit in a dark, cold cage filled with a foot of human waste, skeletal remains and lice (after his feet have been cast in cement). Let him sit there and endure what his animals did until someone feels sorry enough about his condition to set him free. I feel discomfort for wishing the same cruelty upon this man, that he displayed for his animals, but that is how I would handle Mr Wilson in a “perfect world.” He is lucky to live in an age of the justice system and not in the times of an eye for an eye. People who have no regard for animal life often are dangerous to human life. People need to report animal abuse/ neglect, and persist until action is taken.
so, I am assuming this farm you write of has been brough to the attention of powers that be? Now I cannot stop thinking about these donkeys and minis…
Lets hope that Mr Donavan gets to the bottom of any coverup by Shelburne authorities, and whoever their boss was at the time…NO doughnuts for Shelburne’s finest. And if you want to know who this woman is…just google cheaper by the dozen. No kidding. This is that Ann Gilbreth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C…
The state of Vermont routinely allows horrible animal abuse to occur. Perps are never prosecuted, animals (who did not die as a result) are rescued by wonderful organizations like Spring Hill Rescue and life goes on. This state has let so many child/animal/everything else abusers go free in a misguided attempt at what? Might I mention Michael Jaques, the man who raped and murdered his niece? He was released by the state after RAPING someone.
There is a guy on 116, south of Hinesburg, who has let his mini horses and donkeys breed and (in)breed and (in)breed for many years. If anyone says anything about the fact that all of their feet look like the horses in the Shelburne case, he goes out and shoots them. Yep, Vermont is an agricultural state and cares about its animals. GAH.