Jennifer Caruso was arrested and plead guilty to abandoning and starving a dog named Sully to death.  Sully was a Swiss Mountain Dog.  Sully had been their family dog since he was a puppy and he was eleven years old.  Ms. Caruso's husband had been arrested and convicted and placed in jail.  It was said that the dog belonged to her husband and her children and she did not care for the dog.  She abandoned the dog at a residence and moved. 

On 4/19/16, Chrissy Russo-Waller of the Greater Swiss Mountain Group and Kate Riviello of NoKill-NewYork.Org rose to the occasion to attend the hearing of Ms. Caruso in which she plead guilty to three charges of abandoning Sully, and starving and dehydrating him to death.  She told Judge Louis Dinice that she left the dog in the care of someone but the judge failed to ask who she left the dog with.  She was fined $1,500 and given six months probation at which point, I, Kate Riviello rose up out of my seat to scream at the top of my lungs, THE DOG IS DEAD.  The judge failed to even discuss the mortal disposition of sweet Sully.  I was escorted out of the courtroom. 

Our groups came together quickly and protested outside for the press before the hearing and when the hearing was over, we assembled outside to also bear witness to the departure of Ms. Caruso.  She covered her face but when in the vehicle she gave us "the finger."  She arrogantly murdered Sully. 

Knowing that this was a flagrant violation of S1303 Patrick's Law passed in 2013 in which she should have been charged with a third degree felony of abandonment and starvation which resulted in the dog's death, I vowed to file judicial misconduct and violation of the Conditional Dismissal Program in which at the very, very least she should have received 12 months probation.  Because of our protest efforts, the debacle was widely reported including the Associated Press.

The following day at a hearing at 130pm, as reported by the court clerk to me, Kate Riviello, the probation was extended to 12 months to come into adherence.  Truly this abrupt turn-around was the result of our campaign and media frenzy.  However, as we are at least pleased that this gross misjudgment is corrected, we are all standing around wondering why this matter was in Municipal Court at all and should have been heard in Superior Court for third degree felony animal cruelty.

Please join us in this campaign in the great state of New Jersey to enforce the legislation that was enacted and not permit another judge or prosecutor to legislate from the bench and adjudicate the law as proscribed.  It is a tragedy that Ms. Caruso was able to walk away back to small children and procure another dog - it is this nightmare that the Friends of Sully will keep on our minds perpetually.  We must ask our prosecutors and elected officials where they stand with regard to animal abuse.  Thank you for signing this petition.  It is open to the world to support New Jersey in this journey.  Thank you to everyone that loved Sully and supported our campaign for justice.