Crime & Safety
Manchester Man Accused Of Hitting, Shaking, And Killing A Puppy
Jose DeJesus, 49, was arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court on an animal cruelty charge accused of killing "Simba," a Chiweenie.
MANCHESTER, NH — A Manchester man appeared in Hillsborough County Superior Court North on Thursday, accused of killing a 10-week-old puppy.
Jose DeJesus was escorted into court wearing a corrections orange jumpsuit. He sat quietly while the prosecutor, Attorney Daniel Lustenberger, shared the details in the police report, and asked the defendant be held on preventative detention.
The dog was about 10 weeks old and was a Chiweenie, which is a very small dog, and is a cross between a chihuahua and a dachshund. Court documents say that the defendant was sleeping and was woken up by the puppy “crying and whining.” He allegedly picked the puppy up with his hands behind the two front legs and struck it with an open hand several times, and then violently shook the dog. After the alleged assault took place, the defendant placed the dog back in the dog pen and the defendant went back to sleep.
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The owner of the dog, described as the defendant's girlfriend, brought the dog to the Veterinary Emergency Center in Manchester after seeing the dog seized.
The center notified Manchester police of a potential animal abuse case and a detective investigated the incident. The veterinarians told the officers the dog, named Simba, was not going to live and appeared to have brain damage.
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After being evaluated and treated at the center, the dog died.
His defense attorney said despite past convictions of assault in other states and a recent assault, DeJesus would like to seek mental health help. She said he would be willing to live at the New Horizon shelter, where he lived previously for one year.
Honorable Judge David Anderson said the state met the burden of satisfying DeJesus was a danger and should be held on preventative detention at Valley Street Jail. He said that mental health services from Manchester Mental Health could be provided while he is detained.
Anderson also said DeJesus had a suspended sentence in 2021, which may be petitioned to be served.
Dejesus is facing a Class B felony, purposeful cruelty to animals which carries a sentence of 3.5- to 7-years in prison.
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