Corvallis teen could face felony for duck killing

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) _ Some states require a psychiatric evaluation for anyone convicted of cruelty against animals.

Oregon is not one of those states, but the Benton County district attorney said he will consider asking a judge to order such an exam if there is a conviction in the case of a duck recently killed at a Corvallis park.

Police said five men went to the pond at Starker Arts Park on Oct. 4 and used homemade blowguns to shoot darts at the ducks. One duck, a female mallard, was wounded but not killed.

The group chased the animal and tossed a coat over it. One of the men allegedly killed the duck by wringing its neck.

Robert D. Cummings, 18, of Philomath was cited for misdemeanor animal abuse. He declined comment when contacted by the Gazette-Times newspaper.

Cited for attempted animal abuse were: Ryan W. Chesser, 19; Nicholas T. McQueen, 19; Marcus R. Eveler, 17; and Michael S. Carpenter, 17.

Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said his office will consider prosecuting the case and perhaps upgrade the charge against Cummings to aggravated animal abuse, a felony.

Haroldson said he generally believes that illegally killing an animal should result in jail time. In 2006, for instance, a Benton County man convicted of shooting his neighbor's cat got 30 days behind bars.

Cummings, according to police, said the group planned to camp that night and came to the park to hunt ducks for their dinner.

Duck hunting is legal in Oregon, but the season had not yet begun, duck hunting is not allowed in city parks and blowguns are not among the approved methods for hunting waterfowl.

Scott Heiser, the former Benton County district attorney who is now a senior attorney with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, said statistical evidence and academic research have shown that animal cruelty can be a "red flag" for more serious issues.

"People who engage in violence against animals are five times more likely to ultimately engage in violence against a human being," he said.

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