New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
Vandal avoids prison
Judge allows man who cut down ‘Door Tree’ to enter diversionary program
MERIDEN — The man who chainsawed the historic “Door Tree” in Hamden was granted a supervised diversionary program Tuesday in Superior Court, enabling him to avoid jail time and have the charges dismissed in two years if he complies with the program’s conditions.
Curtis Pardee, 64, of Adeline Street in New Haven, apologized to the people of Hamden during the court session but not to his brother, David, who was known as “Mr. Door Tree” because of his love for the
200yearold white oak with a doorwaylike arch. Pardee told Regional Water Authority police he destroyed the tree because he hates his brother.
Superior Court Judge Thomas V. O’Keefe Jr. noted the tree “meant a lot to a lot of people, including the defendant’s brother.” O’Keefe also spoke about his own love of trees, including a pine tree and an apple tree that had stood in his front yard.
O’Keefe acknowledged some people might be upset with his granting the request by Pardee’s attorney Frank Riccio that Pardee enter the program rather than serve time in prison. But O’Keefe said, “It’s the right thing to do.”
O’Keefe noted Pardee “has struggled with mental health issues his whole life. This program will be good for him and everybody else. It will help him deal with his illness.”
O’Keefe ordered Pardee to make a $500 contribution to the Nature Conservancy and contribute up to $750 if the Regional Water Authority decides to put up a commemorative plaque at the site of the fallen tree. It stood on RWA property near 300 New Road.
Pardee had been charged with thirddegree criminal mischief and thirddegree criminal trespassing.
Supervisory Assistant State’s Attorney James Dinnan told O’Keefe that Pardee was arrested by RWA police last August, about three weeks after the tree’s destruction was discovered. Dinnan said police saw that litter had been scattered around the tree fragments, including a letter addressed to Pardee showing his address. Police also discovered a bottle of oil used for chainsaws; they traced it to a department store and to Pardee’s credit card.
Riccio said during the court hearing that Pardee has no criminal record. Riccio said Pardee will comply with his counselor’s instructions.
Riccio also said the Hamden Historical Society had suggested Pardee “give back to the town.” Riccio said, “He’s willing to do that.”
O’Keefe then launched into a lengthy statement about the public’s love of trees, an affection he said he shares.
“This upset a lot of people,” O’Keefe said of the tree’s destruction. “This was something a lot of people enjoyed. They took their kids to see it. Maybe somebody would have proposed under this arch.”
“I remember a tree in front of my house,” O’Keefe added. “You could climb up it. This was a pine tree. It stood there until 1986 when Hurricane Gloria took it down. My father and I then planted an apple tree there. It produced tremendous apples. My wife made apple pies with it.”
O’Keefe cited a famous poem by Joyce Kilmer entitled “Trees.” It begins: “I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree.”
O’Keefe said he had pondered whether to deny Pardee’s enrollment in the diversionary program “because trees mean so much to all of us.” But he cited Pardee’s mental health struggles.
“Judges are supposed to do the right thing,” O’Keefe said, “even though they know there will be an article in the paper and letters to the editor.”
“I don’t think this will go unpunished,” O’Keefe said of Pardee’s actions. “He’ll need to comply with the treatment and cooperate with the counselor.”
O’Keefe described the program as “intensive.”
When O’Keefe offered Pardee a chance to make a statement, Pardee hesitated. O’Keefe then said: “‘Sorry’ would be good.”
Pardee said: “I’m sorry to the citizens of Hamden.”
“If you weren’t sorry, I wouldn’t grant this,” O’Keefe told him.
O’Keefe then read aloud “Prayer of the Woods,” which is sometimes attributed to Alberto de Veiga Simoes. It begins: “I am the heat of your hearth on the cold winter nights, the friendly shade screening you from the summer sun...”
The poem concludes: “Ye who pass by, listen to my prayer: Harm me not.”
O’Keefe looked up at Pardee and told him: “Think about that when you go to your sessions.”
After Pardee left the courtroom, a reporter asked him if he had any comment on the case. Pardee asked: “Who are you?” Riccio then came over, interceded and walked to a nearby alcove to answer the reporter’s questions.
“I believe this is the appropriate path for Mr. Pardee, given all his personal circumstances,” Riccio said. “This program will provide not only the mental health treatment that has been recommended, but allow a dismissal of the charges.”
Riccio said a supervised diversionary programs is a type of accelerated rehabilitation that can be granted when an applicant has mental health issues.
According to Riccio, the counselor who interviewed Pardee “concluded he has a psychological disability which contributed to committing the offense.”
When the reporter noted Pardee’s apology in court had not included apologizing to his brother, Riccio said: “There’s a lot of deep anger with his family. He cut down a tree because of his anger with his brother.”
Riccio added, “But he’s remorseful and has accepted responsibility.”
“He’s more than willing to give back to the people of Hamden, including adding to its beauty,” Riccio said.
Asked how Pardee will do this, Riccio said, “It may include the planting of trees.” He noted Pardee must donate $500 to the Nature Conservancy and up to $750 if a commemorative plaque is mounted where the nowmorefamous tree once stood.
David Johnson, Hamden’s municipal historian and a member of the Hamden Historical Society, said in a statement at the time of Pardee’s arrest: “The Hamden Historical Society and the RWA are planning to memorialize the Door
Tree’s history so that it can continue to be appreciated by generations to come.”