For Immediate Release:
February 17, 2004

Contact:
Martin Mersereau 757-622-7382  

Westland, Mich. --- This morning, PETA fired off a letter to Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Suzette Samuels, urging her to vigorously prosecute David Scott Nulph of Westland. Nulph faces charges stemming from a December 23, 2003, incident in which he allegedly attacked his then-girlfriend’s cat, Boxer. Boxer reportedly sustained internal injuries, a broken leg, and broken teeth, which penetrated his lip, and by Christmas Day, he succumbed to his injuries. Another of Nulph’s ex-girlfriends has told PETA that similar attacks apparently took place while she and Nulph were dating. Nulph is scheduled to face these charges in court tomorrow, February 18.

"Animal abusers are cowards," says PETA Casework Division Manager Martin Mersereau. "Area residents have reason to be concerned. According to leading mental health professionals and law-enforcement agencies, perpetrators of violent acts against animals are often repeat offenders who pose a serious threat not only to other animals, but to the community as a whole. Furthermore, perpetrators of domestic violence will often abuse companion animals in order to intimidate, control, or terrorize their partners."

PETA is also sending its brand-new anti-violence public service announcement, hosted by actor Dennis Franz, who plays Andy Sipowicz on the hit drama NYPD Blue, to TV stations serving the Westland area.

For more information, please visit HelpingAnimals.com.

PETA’s letter to Assistant Prosecutor Suzette Samuels follows.

February 17, 2004

Suzette Samuels, Assistant Prosecutor
Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office
1200 Frank Murphy Hall of Justice
1441 St. Antoine
Detroit, MI 48226

Dear Ms. Samuels:

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the world’s largest animal rights organization, with more than 800,000 members and supporters dedicated to the protection of animals. This letter concerns a horrific case of cruelty to animals that your office is handling, involving David Scott Nulph, 37, of Westland. Our office has been in extensive contact with the complainant, Nulph’s ex-girlfriend Tracie Koehler, and is in receipt of incident reports from the Romulus Police Department and vet reports from Morrison Animal Hospital. According to our information, Nulph attacked Koehler’s cat, Boxer, on December 23, 2003, and left the bloodied animal for Koehler to find. We are told that Boxer sustained internal injuries from the alleged attack, including a broken leg and broken teeth, which penetrated the cat’s lip. Boxer did not survive these injuries. The police report indicates that when questioned, Nulph stated that he "only beat the cat a little bit."

David Nulph is scheduled to answer these charges in court on Wednesday, February 18.

We are also in contact with Sharyl Roosa, who reports that she is another of Nulph’s ex-girlfriends. In a statement submitted to PETA, Roosa claims that Nulph became jealous about the attention that she gave to her dog, Taylor, and writes, "On two different occasions [in 1996] I came home from work to find David alone with the dog and the dog injured." When pressed, Nulph reportedly claimed that "she had fallen down the stairs." Roosa adds, "Right before I moved, I came home from work to find [Taylor] severely injured. Her lips were split open, chunks of her hair were missing, she was bleeding from above her eye, she had blood in her urine, she had a large bruise on her stomach, [and] she was convulsing, shaking and vomiting. David tried to say she fell down the stairs again." Before Taylor succumbed to her injuries, a veterinarian reportedly determined that the dog had been severely beaten.

Mental health professionals and top law-enforcement officials consider cruelty to animals to be a red flag. The American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uses reports of such crimes in analyzing the threat potential of suspected and known criminals. When asked how many serial killers had a history of abusing animals, FBI supervisory special agent Alan Brantley, a psychologist who was formerly on staff at a maximum security prison, said, "The real question should be, how many have not?" Experts agree that it is the severity of the behavior—not the species of the victim—that matters (see enclosure).

On behalf of our many Michigan members, we respectfully ask that your office prosecute David Nulph to the fullest extent of the law and that—upon conviction and in addition to a period of incarceration—he be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling and anger-management classes at his own expense. As repeat crimes against animals are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers and given the malicious and violent nature of his alleged crime, we implore you to take every measure necessary to ensure that Nulph is prohibited from all contact with animals and that any animals in Nulph’s custody are immediately found and seized. May we hear from you soon with regard to this important matter?

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Martin Mersereau, Casework Division Manager
Domestic Animal Issues & Abuse Department