Woman Arrested, Shackled After Poodles Pee in Trooper’s Yard

Criminal Justice

Woman Arrested, Shackled After Poodles Pee in Trooper’s Yard

Posted Aug 12, 2008, 06:50 am CST
By Molly McDonough

Prosecutors are moving forward with trespassing charges against a suburban Maryland woman who admits walking her two miniature poodles through the yard of a state police sergeant.

Linda May Johnson is incredulous about being arrested, shackled and facing trial this month for taking her dogs, Ollie and Hersey, out in the neighborhood.

The Washington Post characterizes the dispute as "a classic tale of suburban strife, pitting dog walker against homeowner, neighbor against neighbor on a contentious issue that roils communities across the region."

Further adding to the hard feelings is a claim by Johnson that her neighbors' German shepherd attacked her poodles and her 8-year-old son, the Post reports.

The aggrieved neighbors, James and Jennifer Barth, for their part, claim Johnson repeatedly allowed her dogs to walk and defecate on their property despite requests to stop.

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Posted by JBo - 4 months, 3 weeks, 6 days, 8 hours, 2 minutes ago

Way to go, trooper. Take down those miniature poodles, who represent a terroristic threat to American property owners, whose rights are absolute. The dogs should be forced to join a sled dog team in the Arctic and compete in the Iditerod for fouling your poor little German Shepherd’s sanctuary.
Posted by Thomas Tilson - 4 months, 3 weeks, 5 days, 15 hours, 58 minutes ago

Would this woman have been arrested, manacled and prosecuted for this offence if the complainant had NOT been a state police officer? I very much doubt it! Shame on Maryland law enforcement for such a disproportionate response to a petty squabble between neighbors. I hope the woman sues the state AND the sergeant for this abuse of power and that she is awarded substantial damages.

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