Man attacking dogs in Prospect Park

Thank you guys for sharing and commenting.

The police apparently apprehended the guy this morning and one of the victim-dog's owners positively IDed the suspect. Hopefully Gothamist will provide an update when more details are available.

Since posting the flyers, we've heard from a number of other dog owners that have been victimized by this guy. One woman's dog was killed in an attack in Robert McNair Park, and the suspect himself has assaulted other owners on at least a couple of occasions.

And he can get a fresh pit bull from any shelter as soon as he gets out.

I know of several people with large, very dog aggressive dogs that nobody is talking about. Nobody really knows them because they keep their dogs on leash and avoid off-leash areas in the morning. If the dog does try to go for another dog, the leash with a responsible owner at the other end keeps it from being a problem.

Patch wrote: The owner of a pitbull that has been attacking dogs in Prospect Park for months was arrested Monday morning police said.

Donnell Barden, 52, of Foster Avenue in Flatbush, was charged with animal cruelty and remains in police custody.

Eric Barstad told Patch that not only was the dog attacking other dogs in the park, put the owner was as well—with an ice pick.

According to Barstad, one morning in May, the pitbull ran up to the Lab/Husky mix of a friend of his and began attacking him. Then the owner caught up to the brawling dogs. But a=nd instead of separating them, he pulled out an ice pick and stabbed the Lab/Husky nine times in the shoulders.

The friend filed a police report. A few weeks later, he saw the dog owner in the park and was able to point him out to cops. But the cops referred him to the 78th Precinct and did not pursue the owner.

On Friday, the pitbull attacked the dog of another friend, prompting Barstad and some friends to make up a warning flyer and post it on Prospect Heights Patch as well as around the park.

http://prospectheights.patch.com/groups/police-and-fire/p/owner-of-prospect-park-attack-dog-arrested

My dog and I had the unfortunate displeasure of running into this guy and his dog last year at McNair Park. I could tell something was "off" with him when his dog came up aggressively and he did nothing except ask weird questions and give a weird vibe. The dog didn't do anything but I could sense the possibility of something happening if my dog reacted instead of just walking away uninterested like he did. Since then I've seen him a couple of times in the same park, I've nodded "hello" but got no response and in fact got a stare-down. The dude is definitely not all there so since then if I'd see him from a distance I'd keep moving away, fast. And when I saw this poster yesterday at Prospect Pk and just knew it had to be the same guy. Happy to know he won't be threat anymore, well at least for a while I hope.

This is messed up.

Janice Brown, a Park Slope resident whose Doberman Pinscher, Brandon, was allegedly attacked by Bardon's dog last Friday, was called to testify before a grand jury on Thursday. After the arresting officers failed to show up, the proceedings were postponed until Monday. According to Brown, Bardon posted his bail and was free to walk. She's disappointed the police couldn't find the time to testify in the case.

And this update on the dog:

Bardon's dog is currently being held by Animal Care & Control, Brown said. But neither Cobell nor Brown bear any ill-will against the offending pooch, and hope he receives the care and rehabilitation he deserves.

"To have the dog put down because of this idiot's behavior would be the ultimate wrong," Cobell said.

http://gothamist.com/2013/08/10/the_ice_pick_stabber_of_prospect_pa.php

Let's dig a little deeper, and talk about the limitations of criminal justice system. Donnell Barden (inmate ID 93A3987) was released in 2010 after serving 18 years in prison for Attempted Murder and Robbery.

http://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/GCA00P00/WIQ3/WINQ130

He "maxed out", meaning that while he was in prison he broke so many rules that he was denied Parole each time he could have been eligible. And, as a result, when he was released, he was not assigned a Parole Officer.

Like it or not, he is entitled to the same criminal justice proceedings as anyone else accused of a similar crime.

This means being arraigned, having the opportunity to post bail instead of being held in detention, and getting to decide whether to plead guilty to the charges before him.

As an incentive to have him plead guilty, he may be offered lesser charges. If he takes the offer (or pleads guilty to the present charges) there will be no trial; He will simply be sentenced. He will become yet another former long term prisoner who commits a crime within 4 years of being released, and is then re-incarcerated.

It is quite common: http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/centersinstitutes/pri/pdfs/LongtermersWHATWEKNOW.pdf

Meanwhile, the bail bondsman and whoever came up with the $ will ensure that he returns to court on Monday, August 12.... If not, a warrant will be issued and a very angry team of armed men will hunt him down.

Whether "he should be allowed back on the streets or not" is a fanciful question.

Let's look at the facts: He is presently out on bail. He is 42. Even if we assume that he enters pleads guilty to the present charges, a sentence involving incarceration is not assured. Even if he is sentenced to incarceration, he will be back in a few years.

Barring death while incarcerated (which is quite rare for someone his age), him getting older and decrepit may be the biggest factor in making us safer.

Justice is an ideal that is rarely reached. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justice

...and something that all parties will never reach consensus on.

Tsarina,

I'm on the road at the moment, but if he was taken into custody today, this site will state it:

http://a073-ils-web.nyc.gov/inmatelookup/pages/common/find.jsf

If he doesn't show up there, you can find out his next court date here:

https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcrim_attorney/jcaptcha

Enjoy!

If he has a court date listed by the second link, and the first link does not show him as being incarcerated, then I believe it is safe to assume he remains out on bail.

As of Oct 9th, his next court date appears to be October 15.

aepete said:

FIDO posted the info below on its Facebook page today:

FIDO has learned that, late last week, "Goldie Mack" was released to the care and custody of Donnell Barden under the stipulations of a New York State Supreme Court order addressing petitions filed by the Brooklyn District Attorney early in September.

As many of our members will recall, Mr. Barden gained some notoriety late this summer where he encouraged his dog to gravely injure other dogs in Prospect Park as well as menace their owners. Mr. Barden was arrested early in August, remains free on bail and will be arraigned on charges of aggravated animal cruelty, menacing, harassment, and criminal possession of a weapon on October 15.

In part, the court orders that Mr. Darnell must:

1. keep "Goldie Mack" humanely confined while on his premises in a manner

to prevent the dog's escape into public places,

2. at all times and in any public place, keep the dog restrained on a leash of

suitable tensile strength, no more than 6 feet long, and muzzled. This applies

even in places where off-leash allowances may be in effect.

3. ensure that no minor be permitted to handle Goldie Mack, and should

Mr. Barden place "Goldie Mack" in the custody or care of another person

who then loses control of the dog or otherwise causes a violation of the court's

stipulation, Mr. Barden remains wholly responsible and accountable.

4. license the dog, keep the license current and keep the license tag on the dog.

5. agree to microchipping "Goldie Mack"

In correspondence with me, Deputy District Attorney Dianne Malone wrote:

For a negotiated settlement, I think it’s a good resolution; it avoided

a protracted hearing with the need to call your members to court to

testify; the risk of a dismissal of the entire matter (unlikely but

still a possibility), and gave me more than the basic of what I really

needed – he needs to keep the dog on a leash with a muzzle when in

public, to reduce the opportunity for another unnecessary dog fight and

possible injury to a person.

Obviously, it depends on Mr. Barden’s adherence to the order, but that

is where FIDO members can assist me, by keeping an eye open – as they

would anyway – for an uncontrolled dog and reporting to PEP and the

KCDA, any sighting of Mr. Barden without a leash and/or muzzle. If he

violates, then the dog can be seized, held, and he will be tried for

contempt of court.

FIDO in Prospect Park has a deep and abiding respect for the American justice system and appreciates the constant struggle the court has in striking a balance between public safety and individual liberty. Until Mr. Barden "has his day," the court cannot, in any way direct or indirect, trammel on his civil rights.

That said, I cannot help but express my dismay that, once again, we are advising our members to keep a lookout for Mr. Barden. For those of us who so enjoy the park with our dogs, vigilance remains key -- has that been any different? If anyone sees Mr. Barden -- or anyone for that matter -- creating a dangerous situation with their dog, it is a 911 matter. In Mr. Barden's particular case, muzzle, short leash, and exemplary behavior is the rule of the court, and should any one out there observe differently, it becomes a matter to bring up with Park Enforcement Patrol (Sgt Fisher, 718-437-1350) who have been advised and have a copy of the court order, and the Kings County District Attorney's Office (Deputy District Attorney Dianne Malone 718.250.2235).

thanks aepete!