I sent the following email to Assistant District Attorney Kyle Scanlon:
Dear Assistant District Attorney Scanlon,
My name is Fabiola and I am the editor of an animal rights website called Voice For Us.
The main purpose of my website it to expose animal cruelty and those who commit it.
I have learned that Darren G. Snyder was found not guilty of animal cruelty by Judge David Barilla.
I felt compelled to reach out to you and share my feelings with you.
The video filmed by witness Kaitlyn Pelchar shows clear abuse inflicted by Snyder on his dogs!
Snyder’s defense attorney Nicole Thompson Lermitte argued her client was disciplining his dogs.
If those dogs could talk, I am sure they would testify they felt pain.
If those dogs had been children, I am convinced that Judge Barilla would have not allowed such “disciplinary” methods.
I believe that Judge Barilla had a great opportunity to take a clear and strong stand against animal cruelty and failed to do so by not recognizing the abuse in the video he watched.
Judge Barilla failed those dogs.
I believe that Judge Barilla undermined all the efforts of all the people who worked to bring this case to court and his actions turned the phrase “See something, say something” into “See something, say something but don’t bother if the perpetrator is a V.I.P.”
More and more people, every day, are fighting to put an end to animal cruelty and we, along with the Voiceless Victims, rely on laws, District Attorneys, and judges to see that justice is done. In this case, the Voiceless Victims did not receive any justice and they are still with their abuser.
I hope action will be taken to disbar judge Barilla.
~ Update: September 14, 2022
On Tuesday, September 13, 2022, in Luzerne County Central Court, judge David Barilla found 46-years-old DARREN G. SNYDER (pictured), not guilty of animal cruelty after SNYDER’s defense attorney, Nicole Thompson Lermitte, “argued the alleged beatings caught on video actually showed him disciplining his dogs during a late night walk last month,” reports Times Leader.
A video filmed by witness Kaitlyn Pelchar in August 2022, showed SNYDER, who is in his second four-year term as elected Wilkes-Barre City Controller, walking his two dogs before displaying violent and aggressive behavior towards the VOICELESS VICTIMS.
SNYDER violently pulled both furbabies by their leash and the small dog was actually lifted off the ground by the neck.
SNYDER also kicked, slapped and stomped on his dogs.
Times Leader reports that judge Barilla viewed the video during SNYDER’s summary trial on Assistant District Attorney Kyle Scanlon’s laptop. Scanlon stood off to the side of Barilla’s desk while he viewed and while Scanlon said, “I think the video speaks for itself,” Lermitte argued that “Mr. Snyder was disciplining his animals.”
As reported by Times Leader, the video was the only evidence presented by the District Attorney’s Office, “which also withdrew disorderly conduct and animal cruelty charges and reduced the remaining count of animal cruelty to a summary offense from a misdemeanor.”
The VOICELESS VICTIMS are still with their abuser.
I am so furious and there is so much I want to say!!!!
First, perhaps the phrase “See something, say something” needs an addition, and should now be: “See something, say something but don't bother if the perpetrator is a V.I.P.”
Secondly: If those dogs had been children, I doubt that the so-called “disciplinary” method would have been approved by judge Barilla without legal repercussions.
Thirdly: Barilla had the chance to take a clear stand against animal cruelty and show that what he saw in the video, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES can be accepted and go unpunished.
I firmly believe that Barilla failed those dogs and sent a clear message that animal cruelty is allowed in Luzerne County! Barilla needs to be disbarred! I will email Assistant District Attorney Kyle Scanlon to share my feelings.
The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department charged 46-years-old DARREN G. SNYDER (pictured), with animal cruelty charges after he was caught on video violently attacking his two dogs.
On August 4, 2022, police were called to the 200 block of South Main Street for a report of animal abuse. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the witness who provided police with a video she had recorded the night before. The video shows SNYDER walking his two dogs and at some point he can be seen “violently” pulling the small dog by the leash and the furbaby can be seen off the ground by his/her neck. SNYDER then proceeded to kick the dog multiple times.
Police said: “On the last kick he stomped on the rear of the dog where the back meets the tail and the dogs (sic) legs seemed to give out.”
The video goes on to show SNYDER turning to the other dog, and forcefully pulling his/her leash. The second dog is larger than the first one and SNYDER was not able to lift him/her up. The footage also shows SNYDER slapping both dogs until they sat down and the smack can actually be heard! SNYDER can also be heard saying: “Sit!”.
PA Homepage reports that the witness also saw SNYDER “kicking his dog two days early hard enough to hear the dog’s jaw clap closed from inside her work building.”
Police said the witness told us the abuse takes place consistently every time SNYDER walks his dogs.
SNYDER, who is in his second four-year term as elected Wilkes-Barre City Controller, is facing charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of cruelty to animals, all Misdemeanors.
He was issued a summons Tuesday and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 13, at 9:15 a.m. in Luzerne County Central Court.
On an unrelated note, Times Leader reports: "Snyder, a Democrat who was first elected to the office in 2015, was previously issued citations for public drunkenness. He pleaded guilty to a non-traffic citation in 2021 and was fined. A citation filed in 2020 was dismissed by District Justice Thomas Malloy and Snyder said he performed public service.”
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Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
