The attorneys of Princeton Concerned Citizens — a group protesting the Princeton Township deer population control program — held a press conference to rally support for their lawsuit yesterday afternoon.
PCC's lawsuit represents more than 30 plaintiffs, accusing the township of animal cruelty and negligent public safety.
Carl Mayer, one of the three attorneys spearheading the lawsuit, opened the conference by reviewing the lawsuit's progress.
"The citizens of Princeton have achieved something important," he said, explaining that the township has conceded to cease the deer killing for two of the five years originally planned for the program's duration.
Mayer added that the township also agreed to kill only 300 deer instead of the 500 originally planned.
"We have already saved the lives of 200 animals," he continued, "but more work needs to be done."
Mayer condemned the town for operating the program "in secrecy" and said it was for that reason that the PCC retained a private investigator to look into the project.
PCC is also requesting that the township administer drug and alcohol tests to the White Buffalo, Inc., employees charged with controlling the local deer population.
John Ciaccio, of A-Plus Investigations, Inc., said that an employee of White Buffalo — the company hired by the township to kill the deer — was observed transporting a bottle of "a very rare type of alcohol" from a liquor store to the large truck he was driving and then driving to the "slaughtering facility" on River Road.
"This is a dangerous mix," Ciaccio said, adding he was "concerned" by the driving habits of the White Buffalo employee. Ciaccio would not disclose the identity of the employee or liquor store involved because it might hinder the investigation, he said.
"We believe there are other liquor stores involved," he explained.
"This was not a purchase to be taken home," said Falk Engel, another attorney involved in the suit.
"Now we have evidence that alcohol is in the mix," he said, describing the evidence as a danger to the safety of Princeton's residents.
Bruce Afran, the third attorney involved in the suit, said that considering the amount of deadly weapons they carry, the White Buffalo employees should be held to the same standard as the police.
The people of the Princeton Concerned Citizens group also complained of being unnecessarily bothered by the police.
Plaintiff Frank Weiner said he did not feel the township made adequate attempts to pursue less invasive modes of deer population control. A task force has been set up by the PCC to pursue more non-lethal methods.
"This is Princeton," he said. "We're a scientific community and it's appropriate for Princeton to live up to its reputation."
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