The Dane County DA’s Office and Prosecutions as Favors
The very idea that a District Attorney’s Office in Wisconsin, let alone Dane County, could undergo a criminal prosecution that would financially benefit the well-connected individuals encouraging the prosecution is too much for some to accept. It is, however, a proven fact that this occurred in the 1990’s, and that the specific prosecutor involved was Dane County ADA Paul Humphrey.
ADA Paul Humphrey’s actions subsequently cost the Wisconsin taxpayers over $100,000, i.e. Porter v. Diblasio, Dane County Humane Society, Humphrey, Dane County Case No. 96-C-264-S. This matter did receive some press, but for the most part was swept under the rug. In this matter ADA Humphrey, on behalf of the director of the Dane County Humane Society, commenced a prosecution whereafter the ownership of horses was transferred to the Dane County Humane Society director and her friends. It was also alleged, and mostly conceded by the Wisconsin AG’s Office, that this prosecution involved serious violations of the horse owner’s rights.
The collective worth of the horses seized was later acknowledged by the Attorney General’s Office as being at least $135,000. The horses’ ownership transfer fees charged to new owners, which included the Humane Society director, her friends and her family members, were a sum total of $675. ADA Humphrey’s star witness to the alleged mistreatment of the horses was a veterinarian who received one of the horses with a value of at least $18,000 for the mere sum of $25. And although rumor had it that Humphrey received a horse, he testified that his actual benefit was one of the horses being used to give free riding lessons to one of his children. It is difficult to comprehend why this matter did not result in a public outcry. It is difficult to comprehend how Humphrey apparently escaped all sanctions, let alone kept his job, for his involvement in this matter.
For those that think, ‘that was then, this is now,’ read on.
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