LAWRENCE: Tech defense for Congo owner’s shoplift case

By Greg Forester, Staff Writer
   Guy James, the Princeton man who gained notoriety for literally defending his family’s German shepherds to their deaths after they injured two people in separate incidents, has until March 28 to prove that a faulty self-checkout machine at a local supermarket was responsible for his shoplifting arrest.
   Mr. James, 47, walked out of the Lawrence ShopRite on Aug. 29 with $850 worth of kosher food, after scanning only $250 worth at a machine in the store’s self-checkout area, according to store loss prevention personnel who turned Mr. James over to police.
   At a preliminary hearing on Jan. 7 Lawrence Township Judge Paul Cantanese granted a request from Mr. James’ lawyer, Clifford Bidlingmaier, for additional time to research the machines to determine their record of accuracy.
   The attorney also wants to look into what kind of safeguards should be used at stores to prevent patrons from leaving without scanning all of their items following machine malfunctions, according to Reed Gusciora, the Lawrence Township prosecutor.
   The defense has left open the possibility of bringing in an expert with knowledge of the proper use of such machines, said Mr. Gusciora, who is also a state assemblyman representing the 15th legislative district, which includes the Princeton area and Lawrence Township.
   Mr. Gusciora, who said he deals with dozens of shoplifting cases involving self-checkout machines as they have become more prevalent at local stores, is skeptical of any defense based on malfunctions, given the large value of items that police say Mr. James took from the store without being scanned.
   ”One could understand a couple of malfunctions,” Mr. Gusciora said.
   However, he said he recognized Mr. James’ right to defend himself in court.
   The defendant, Mr. James, became famous during his fight to save the life of Congo, his German shepherd, and four other family dogs that mauled a landscaper was working on the property of Mr. James’ Princeton home.
   The dogs were saved from death and other consequences after that initial June 2007 attack through a deal between Mr. James’ attorneys and the Mercer County prosecutor’s office, the incident polarized the area and set off a cause celebre.
   However, a second incident in 2008 that led to the hospitalization of Mr. James’ mother-in-law, Constance Ladd, resulted in Mr. James voluntarily euthanizing four of the dogs, including Congo.
   At the time, Mr. James said he feared for the welfare of his dogs following the second attack.