Neighborhood pooper snooper acquitted

By Monte Whaley
Denver Post Staff Writer

Thursday, July 19, 2001 - BOULDER - A jury Wednesday sided with a 50-year-old botanist who videotapes dog owners who ignore leash laws and their own dogs' poop.

A three-man, three-woman County Court panel took 15 minutes to acquit Patrick Murphy of misdemeanor harassment. Murphy sighed deeply after hearing the verdict and later said he'd change some of his methods of tracking scofflaw dog owners.

But Murphy - who used satellite-mapping technology to track poop piles - said he's not backing down in his goal to force people to clean up after their pets.

"I found something that works," said Murphy, a former dog owner. "I'm not frustrated. I'm creative."

If convicted, he could have faced six months in jail and a $750 fine.

Murphy was accused of taping Holly Mirabile and her dog at Casey Middle School on May 10 while the dog was off its leash in an area where one is required.

Murphy then turned off his camera and followed Mirabile to her home and then her office. Mirabile testified in the day-long trial that she was shaken by the experience.

Murphy testified that he followed the woman only to find out where she worked so he could call animal-control officers.

Prosecutor Cassidy Murphy - no relation - tried to portray Patrick Murphy as almost obsessed with the amount of dog droppings left at the Casey Middle School playground, near his home. That drove him to confront Mirabile and her dog, she said.

"He had had enough," Cassidy Murphy said.

Patrick Murphy called one Boulder animal-control officer 100 times in three years to complain about dogs without leashes. He testified about the satellite mapping he used to chart the number of dog mounds left on the middle's school playground.

The map showed that 663 piles of poop were scattered over the playground on one day in March.

"If you're standing there watching sports, you are standing in it," he said.

Murphy was accused of harassing another dog owner at Casey the same day, but that charge was dropped by Judge Lael Montgomery because the prosecution couldn't show that he intended to harass the owner.

Murphy's videotaping led to another dog owner earlier this year pleading guilty to violating Boulder's leash law.

Murphy attended Boulder's 1996 Dog Forum to discuss dog management.

He has written letters to the editor and has spoken to the City Council about the dangers of dog excrement seeping into the city's groundwater.

"The real issue is learning to be aware of, and dealing with, negative impacts of dogs," Murphy said. "Denial is one hurdle that must be overcome."

Murphy said his arrest convinced him to keep his video camera on at all times to record every word. He'll also call police and tell them he's taping, he added.

Still, juror Mark Adolfson said Murphy's videotaping could one day put him in danger.

"He's pushing the envelope," he said. "But it's still a good cause."

I'm all for picking up after your doggie, but if some fruit-loop followed me to my home and work with a video camera, I'd give him something exciting to film.

I just can't wait until he follows the wrong guy, and gets a taste of some of those 663 piles of poop he has thoughtfully satellite tracked for us.

This guy needs a women worse than Imbrog|io!

"But Murphy - who used satellite-mapping technology to track poop piles - said he's not backing down in his goal to force people to clean up after their pets."

I swear I'm not related to this guy. [:)]

A little intrusive but....


Don't let your dogs crap on my kid's playground and everything will be ok.

that was my next question... [:)]

I agree with the 2nd part, but...

A LITTLE intrusive???

Don't tell me that if this guy followed YOUR wife to YOUR house where you and your children feel secure, that you wouldn't greet him with the ugly end of your AR.

ROTFLMAO!

I didn't even notice the name.  Are you sure it isn't you?  I mean UN satellite mapping technology, sounds like it's right up your alley.[;)]

Murphy the poop-tracker
Prosecuter Murphy
Murphy, Texas
Murphy, Murphy, Murphy, Murphy.

Murphys... everywhere...multiplying....
....growing in numbers and strength.  
I am an Army of one.

(semper fi)
   

Don't get me wrong, I like dogs but don't own one. I'm always finding dog $hit in my front yard. It's coming from  next door. After talking to the dog's owner(no help) his dog still $hits in my yard! So now I just scoop it up and deposit the $hit on his front door step!

What a load of crap!  That guy needs a life.  I wish he lived in my neighborhood.  I have 6 dogs and we could fill his yard up real fast.  Hell, I might even take a dump there myself.

ROFLMAO!!!

Hey, I completely agree with you.  I got a dog, and I pick up his crap.

Here's the thing, this guy is a botanist, he ain't doing it because he doesn't like to step in it (it's not even in his own yard!) he's doing it because he feels the plant ecosystem is being overwhelmed the by the intrusion of the unnatural numbers of domesticated canines, or some other earthy BS.  Trust me, he's been in the papers here before.  Hey, I have a biology degree, I took ecology, and I STILL think this guy is a moron.

I think people should pick up after their dogs, but here's a scenario, I'm out walking my dog and I run out of poop-bags (my dog craps 3 times some walks!), I feel bad, but I'm not going to use my hands.  This guy strolls over with a camcorder and starts busting my balls.  I'm automatically switching from 'condition embarrassed' to 'condition pissed off.'

Now if he follows me home, I'm now belligerent

C'mon, only in Boulder? It could be Boston or lots of places in Orange County or FL or NYC or any number of places. Boulder doesn't have a lock on idiots--on both sides of this story. [;)]

True, but Boulder still has the superior numbers when it comes to new-age hippies and ecoterrorists.