Bear activist accused of harassment gets venue change
VERNON -- The case against an animal rights activist from Vernon, accused of harassing two hunters in a Facebook post, will be moved to a different jurisdiction.
Vernon Municipal Court Judge James Devine signed an order Feb. 28 transferring Susan Kehoe's case from the township to Hopatcong, according to a two-paragraph order, provided Tuesday to NJ Advance Media.
The order did not give a reason, but was issued seven days after Kehoe filed a notice of tort claim against Vernon.
Named as potential defendants were numerous Vernon officials and employees, including municipal prosecutor Alicia Ferrante and court administrator Donna Zuidema.
Kehoe is due in Hopatcong Municipal Court on April 3 for a case management review stemming from complaints filed by hunters Michael Bush and Nickey Pisco.
At the core of the case is an allegation, from the hunters, that Kehoe posted on Facebook in October that she "believed" that one of them killed a local bear.
Bush said he received death threats.
The hunters filed complaints against Kehoe after Vernon police, and the state Division of Fish and Wildlife, declined to press charges against her.
In the claim notice, Kehoe's attorney, Daniel Perez, charged that Ferrante decided to proceed with the prosecution despite being unable to produce, during a Feb. 14 court appearance in Vernon, the purported Facebook post cited in the complaints.
Kehoe is a longtime opponent of New Jersey's bear hunt.
Perez was her attorney during a 2012 municipal court trial, also in Vernon Township, in which she was acquitted on a charge of intentionally feeding bears.
In 2010, Kehoe was sentenced to one year probation and fined $1,250 after she interfered with state wildlife biologists who were trying to tranquilize
Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.