CFNEWS13 (Orlando, Florida) 12 May 10 Python Victim’s Mom Declared Indigent (Heather Sorentrue)

Bushnell: Frustrations are mounting in the case against a Sumter County mom and her boyfriend who prosecutors say are to blame after a pet python killed a 2-year-old girl.

One of the defense attorneys said they have not been able to really get the case moving forward because Jaren Hare, the toddler's mother, could not come up with the money for her legal fees.

Ten months after a pet python slithered out of its aquarium, into Shaiunna Hare's crib and strangled her, attorneys said the defense has not taken testimony from a single witness.

“I would certainly like to see the case get moving because a delay in the case only goes to a defendant's benefit,” said Prosecutor Pete Magrino. “It's never beneficial to the state.”

Jaren Hare's attorney Paul Militello said a judge's ruling declaring her indigent will free up some money to get the ball rolling.

“I think it's frustrating for the prosecution as well as the defense,” Militello said. “We've been eager to move forward and question witnesses to see what they say or don't say, and whether or not they are going to confirm what the prosecution's theory of the case is.”

While little has happened in the criminal case in the last 10 months, reptile owners said it's extremely frustrating that the state has launched a large scale crackdown on reptiles.

“The last 10 months you have had the python hunt occur twice,” said Robert Keszey, who co-owns the Glades Herp Farm. “You've had this proposed ban on snakes occur at a federal level and a state level. At the federal level, they threw it out, but now they are rewording it and trying to fight that again. At the state level, it has already passed as a bill, so now it just has to be signed into law by Governor Crist.”

Those in the reptile industry are still trying to fight the ban and worry it will lead people to release more snakes into the wild, which they said is bad for everyone.

“Ten months ago there was talk of this because they were finding Burmese pythons in the Everglades,” Keszey said. “Then this tragedy happened here in Sumter County with the little girl and that just gave them more ammunition.”

Charles Jason Darnell, Hare's boyfriend, did not show up for the pre-trial hearing Wednesday. He is behind bars serving time on unrelated drug charges.



CFNEWS13 (Orlando, Florida) 04 May 10 Is Proposed Python Ban Overblown Due To Toddler’s Death? (Heather Sorentrue)

Bushnell: Robert Keszey has been dealing with exotic reptiles for almost 30 years, but his livelihood is now at risk.

That's because lawmakers unanimously passed legislation that would prohibit importing and personal pet ownership of seven non-native reptiles, including many species of pythons.

Keszey, who co-owns Glades Herp Farm, is now pinning his hopes on Gov. Charlie Crist's veto pen.

“We're asking Charlie Crist to look at this bill with open eyes, without the blinders on, without what I call, what everybody in the industry calls junk science,” Keszey said.

Keszey said the cold snap killed off most of the pythons in the wild, and does not believe they pose an environmental risk.

Lawmakers see it differently, and said they're invasive and damaging Florida's Everglades.

"This environmental damage is compounded by a public safety risk; these carnivorous snakes are large enough to kill a person, all too sadly demonstrated when one took the life of a small Florida child last year. This bill is really a no-brainer," wrote State Sen. Eleanor Sobel, who sponsored the bill.

Keszey argues the concern has been overblown.

“A child gets killed by a python here in Sumter County, and all of the sudden it's the python's fault. It's the reptile people's fault,” Keszey said. “It's not the parents' fault?”

People who work in the reptile industry said this proposed ban would in effect drive the ownership of these snakes underground.

“It will have an effect on people," Keszey said. "Not everyone is going to get scared. The love for the animal is greater than the fear for some people and that's going to push it underground.”

If Gov. Crist signs the bill, it would go into effect July 1.

Current owners of the seven species of reptiles would still be allowed to keep their pets with proper permits.

The mother and live-in boyfriend of the the girl killed in Sumter County are expected in court for a pretrial hearing next week.

http://www.cfnews13.com/News/Local/2010/5/3/is_proposed_python_ban_overblown_due_to_toddlers_death.html
Python Victim’s Mom Declared Indigent

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