Man who starved dog gets sentencing date
Corcoran turns himself in to RNC a week after he was a no-show in court
The St. John’s man who starved his dog to death and stuffed its desiccated remains in a suitcase indicated Thursday he wants his legal matters settled as soon as possible.
But a St. John’s judge was quick to point out the delay was his own doing since he was a no-show on the day they were supposed to be settled.
When the judge and lawyers in provincial court were trying to decide a new date for sentencing for John Michael Corcoran, duty counsel Tim O’brien said,
“From Mr. Corcoran‘s perspective, he’d like the earliest date possible.” Judge Jim Walsh sharply replied, “(It could’ve been) if he had showed up last week.”
Corcoran was brought into court a week after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
The 33-year-old had pleaded guilty to a charge of animal cruelty and was supposed to have been sentenced April 26, but failed to show up, prompting Walsh to issue the arrest warrant.
A week later — and a day after the RNC publicly released a photo of Corcoran on social media — Corcoran turned himself in to RNC headquarters at 11 a.m. Thursday.
He faces three additional charges — failing to attend court and two breaches related to the no-show.
He was led into the courtroom by sheriff’s officers and sat quietly during proceedings.
O’brien told Walsh that Corcoran wants to deal with the new charges at the same time that he is sentenced for the animal cruelty conviction. Walsh, O’brien and Crown prosecutor Robin Singleton decided Corcoran would be sentenced May 9. Corcoran will remain in custody until then. Walsh indicated further charges are expected to be laid at that time, but didn’t say what they were.
Corcoran pleaded guilty to the animal cruelty charge in a case in which the details about the dog’s suffering caused the province’s chief veterinary officer to break down in tears. While testifying at the sentencing
hearing a few months ago, Dr. Laura Rogers described it as the worst case of emaciation she’s seen in her 20 years of practice. Rogers was emotional as she described the suffering that Diamond, a young pit bull, must have endured in the months leading up to its death. The dog’s remains were found Aug. 15, 2015 in a suitcase — that was seeping a liquid — by employees from the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corp. who were at a unit on Buckmaster’s Circle to prepare it for the next tenant.
The Crown had recommended Corcoran be given a blended sentence — eight months behind bars, with 18
months’ probation, for the animal cruelty charge and conditional sentences totalling 45 days for other unrelated charges, including possessing stolen property from the construction company he had worked for and breaching court orders by not residing where he said he would. Corcoran, who represented himself, apologized for what he did and asked the judge to consider a conditional sentence.
Walsh then told Corcoran, “Pack your toothbrush, because I tell you there will be some straight jail time.”