Independent presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr. could have faced a fine tossing a dead bear cub In New York’s Central Park, however, the state agency investigating the strange incident said the statute of limitations for the decade-long crime had long since expired.
The New York State Department of Environmental Protection “led the 2014 investigation and forensic analysis of a bear cub in Central Park,” the agency said in a statement Monday.
Finding a dead puppy in the middle of Manhattan made headlines in October 2014, but at the time, investigators were unable to determine how it got there.
Kennedy admitted the video he posted On Sunday, he said he was guilty on social media, making an effort to get ahead of a story The New Yorker He noted that he was responsible. Kennedy told Roseanne Barr in the video that she took her dead puppy out of town after someone hit it with their car. He said he had plans to skin it and eat it, but time got away from him and he left it next to the bike path in the park as a joke. He was 60 years old at that time.
DEC said in a statement that its investigation did “conclude that the bear died of blunt force trauma consistent with a high-speed collision.”
“At the end of that year, the investigation was closed because there was insufficient evidence to determine whether violations had occurred,” the report said.
The agency said it was against the law to dispose of the dead bear, as Kennedy said.
“The state’s Environmental Protection Act includes offenses such as illegal possession of a bear without a tag or permit and illegal disposal of a bear, both of which are misdemeanor-level offenses that usually carry a fine of up to $250 for the first offense.” the agency said. “The statute of limitations for these offenses is one year; incidents that occurred more than a year ago cannot be charged.”
Veteran New York criminal defense attorney Ron Kuby said Kennedy could face additional penalties from the city for illegal dumping.
“It’s pretty much illegal,” Kuby said in a phone interview, adding that while Kennedy could have faced a more severe civil fine of up to $1,000 from city officials, he would not have faced criminal charges.
As for the state violation, it’s “like a traffic violation,” Kuby said.
Kennedy’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
The City Sanitation Department used the odd political news teaching moment on social media.
“Wondering how to dispose of a dead animal in New York?” an entry was read in the X account of the department. It consisted of a figure standing in front of three trash bags, respectively labeled Muppet, a fictional character from a children’s book, and “Paddington,” “Fozzie,” and “Gummy,” a reference to candy.
The post also linked to information on the department’s website throw it right A dead animal in New York.
In the meantime, the statement of the SC has also been included a transition on how to dispose of animals outside the city. “Individuals must submit a report or obtain a permit from DEC or local law enforcement to legally possess a deer, elk or bear that has been intentionally killed as a result of a collision,” the agency said.