The case against Princeton animal control officer Mark Johnson will be heard in Ewing Township in the near future.
”It’s a selection they made, there is no particular reason why,’ said Dave Everhardt, criminal case manager for Mercer County court. “The judge didn’t feel comfortable handing the case, so she asked for it (to be moved).”
Mr. Johnson is accused of shooting of two beavers in Pettoranello Gardens in Community Park North in May without a valid permit by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP).
A summons was issued on July 14 and filed with Princeton Township Municipal Court, said Lawrence Hajna, press officer, NJ DEP. Each count carries a fine of $100 to $200 upon conviction, he said.
The summonses stem from when the animal control officer shot two beavers in the park at dusk on May 13.
There was no permit issued for the trapping of the beavers or any beaver activity with the Division of Fish and Wildlife, Mr. Hanja said in previous statements.
