American Hunt Sab convictions upheld

Animal rights activists' convictions upheld

by Jim Lockwood/The Star-Ledger
Friday June 20, 2008, 3:49 PM

The state Appellate Division has upheld municipal convictions against
animal-rights activists who interfered with hunters during New Jersey's
2005 bear hunt.

In a decision released today, the Appellate Division affirmed prior
rulings in Vernon Municipal Court and Superior Court in Newton that the
activists, Angela Metler, Albert Kazemian and Janet Piszar, had harassed
hunters, one of whom was an undercover police officer, by encircling
them and hooting and hollering to keep bears away.

The appeal argued their conduct did not constitute physical interference
with hunting and was free speech; that a defense of entrapment was
improperly barred in municipal court; and that the officer and hunters
should not have been viewed by the court as credible witnesses due to
their pro-hunting views. A three-judge appellate panel affirmed the
convictions.

The incident occurred in Wawayanda State Park in Vernon on Dec. 7, 2005,
when an undercover state park police officer was in the woods with two
hunters. There, they encountered five activists; Metler, Kazemian,
Piszar and Theresa Fritzges, and another unidentified woman who got away.

The activists were found guilty in Vernon Municipal Court in 2006 of
disorderly-persons offenses.

They appealed to Superior Court, where in March 2007 a judge upheld the
convictions but merged various violations and cut fines and penalties in
half: to $1,360 each for Metler and Kazemian, and to $455 each for
Piszar and Fritzges. Metler, who had prior similar offenses, also was
sentenced in Vernon court to 40 days in jail, but that was reduced in
Superior Court to two days in jail and eight days in the Sheriff's Labor
Assistance Program.

Metler, Kazemian and Piszar then appealed to the appellate division,
while Fritzges did not. The appellate ruling upholds the Superior Court
sentences. The defendants or their attorney could not be reached for
comment.