Closing Argument

“They were not undernourished, they were ugly,” he said.

Ernie Paragallo in the courthouse parking lot after closing arguments.

Ernie Paragallo at the courthouse parking lot

The trial is over.  Judge George Pulver Jr. must now decide whether the mares, the yearlings, the weanlings, and the stallions at Ernie Paragallo’s Center Brook Farm were indeed starved and left with severe parasite infestations without proper care.  If these horses were, simply said, abused.

If Judge Pulver comes to the conclusion that this was indeed the case at Center Brook Farm then the owner of that farm is responsible for what happened on his farm.  The owner is responsible whether he visits his farm regularly or is absent most of the time.

Party Forever Colt Leaves Center Brook Farm

We were not called as witnesses in the trial.  We went to Center Brook in October to pick up three yearlings. They were still very thin.  And they were wild.  They were barely halter broken, the colt’s halter so tight that it left bald patches on his face.  Our trainer Paula Turner could not touch their legs and feet until a couple of weeks ago.  The colt is still afraid of anything that touches or approaches his head and neck, indicative of mistreatment.

The one person who had been at the farm all along suddenly had to leave the country – short before the trial.  Center Brook Farm manager Eddie Salazar could have told the judge what happened on the farm.  He could have explained perhaps why after a former raid in 2007 things did improve at Center Brook temporarily.  He also could have told how many horses were at the farm in fall of 2008 and how many actually made it until the raid in April 2009.  When one stallion was picked up by his new owner in January 2009, he already saw older horses looking bad, and young ones in dire shape.

Mr. Paragallo:  The horses were not ugly.

They were sick, some so sick that they could not been helped anymore.  They were starved to death.  Good people took the others in, fed them, paid for their medical bills, and helped them look good, as good as any healthy thoroughbred can look.  The horses only looked ugly while in your care, Mr. Paragallo.

“They are using this case to get donations and charitable contributions for the Columbia-Greene Humane Society,”

Paragallo’s attorney Michael Howard at the trial.

Paragallo and his attorney Michael Howard

You ought to be grateful that people donated money to Columbia-Greene SPCA and to other horse rescue organizations to help YOUR sick and malnourished horses, that YOU, Mr. Paragallo, should have paid for.  How dare you to accuse any of theses organizations for asking to help pay the bills.  None of them would have had to solicit  money if not for the dozens of YOUR sick horses that needed to be taken care of.

And even if your argument about underfeeding mares so they would breed better held up to proper research – how about the yearlings, how about the geldings at Center Brook – why were they starved?

You still own horses, Mr. Paragallo.  You said you did nothing wrong.  Horses were found to be in bad condition at your farm before.  Perhaps you should read different books on horse care.  Or as the people who paid to help your horses, how it is done properly.  Because none of these horses are ugly anymore.

Please see video “Closing Argument Delivered In Paragallo Animal Abuse Trial”, WTEN

click here:

Paragallo after Closing Arguments

Ernie Paragallo At Court