Dog lovers across the state were disappointed Wednesday when Heidi Lueders, associated with the now defunct Bully Breed Rescue, was found not guilty on Felony animal cruelty charges.
Lueders had been the leader of Bully Breed Rescue, a non profit organization rescue group that specializes in pit bull type dogs, and over the years she had been a frequent face at dog adoption and fundraising events, including Puttin’ on the Dog in Greenwich.
Now 34, Lueders was found guilty of the charge of Criminal Damage to Property.
Channel 12’s Marissa Alter Tweeted that animal welfare advocates in the court were visibly crying after Judge Peter McShane announced his verdict.
Back in November 2018, five dogs in Lueders’ care were found dead inside cages at her Fairfield rental property.
Inside their crates all that was left were skeletons and collars.
Lueders was charged by warrant with 5 counts of animal cruelty and 1 count of criminal damage to her landlord’s property. Her bond was set at $50,000.
At the time Fairfield Police said it appeared the animals had been neglected inside of their crates.
Inside Bridgeport Superior Court, Lueders did not take the stand. She had opted for a bench trial with a judge deciding the case, rather than a jury trial. Previously, she had rejected a deal from the state for 2-1/2 years in jail.
Lueders was tried on five counts of maliciously killing an animal and one count of criminal damage to property. It was asserted that she starved the dogs slowly to death.
According to News 12, the Assistant State’s Attorney, Felicia Valentino said, “The state submits that it has proved beyond a reasonable doubt, that Heidi Lueders intentionally killed all five of these dogs.”
During the trial 10 witnesses testified including animal control officers, a detective, and Lueder’s landlady, Celly Roberts.
According to News 12, the landlady testified that the rental property was in such bad shape, that she couldn’t afford to repair it and the house went into foreclosure.
Ms Roberts said the day she found the remains of the dogs in 2018, the rental property was filled with dog feces, trash, needles and other drug paraphernalia.
Fairfield Police Patrol officer Raymond Quiles testified that when he entered the property he detected the smell of rotting flesh.
The day before the verdict, members of Desmond’s Army, founded in 2011, gathered in a park to pray for justice for “the Fairfield Five.”
The group, distinguished by their purple t-shirts and sweatshirts, is a non profit named after Desmond, a pit bull who was tortured to death by his owner.
Desmond was a shelter dog owned by a couple. Members of the group explained that a woman became a victim of domestic abuse and decided to leave, but she couldn’t bring the dog with her. She brought Desmond back to the shelter in New Haven, and he was later transferred to another shelter. Her ex, Alex Wullaert, went to that shelter and adopted Desmond and beat and strangled him. Wullaert was never incarcerated. He was given Accelerated Rehabilitation.
Desmond’s Army have been a steady presence at Bridgeport Superior Court as the case worked its way through the system.
On Wednesday, Judge McShane said, “As emotional and jarring as the facts and photos are, the verdict must not be based on emotion.”
He said even although the evidence was gruesome, his ruling was based on facts, not feelings.
“The court finds that the state has not proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant maliciously and intentionally killed the dogs, and finds the defendant not guilty,” he said.
Straight faced, Leuders, sat alongside her attorney, Rob Serafinowicz, both wearing stars and stripes gators.
The judge pointed to the testimony of a veterinary pathologist who said he could not determine a cause of death from the autopsy because only bones remained.
“Proof beyond a reasonable doubt does not deal with possibilities,” the judge said.
According to Channel 12, Leuders’ attorney Mr. Serafinowicz said Leuders hoped to put the incident behind her.
Leuders is scheduled to return to Bridgeport Superior Court on April 6 for sentencing, and could receive up to five years in prison for the charge she was found guilty of.
