honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Pet-pig killing suspect enters not-guilty plea

By Rod Ohira
Advertiser Staff Writer

A 28-year-old man accused of trespassing on private property and killing a 300-pound pet feral pig in Mililani Mauka was free on bail on a firearms charge at the time, court records show.

Joseph V. Calarruda V yesterday pleaded not guilty at Circuit Court to felony livestock theft in connection with the killing of the pig, named "Porky," at a lychee farm Oct. 22. Trial has been set for Jan. 22, 2007. Calarruda is free on $50,000 bail.

When asked if he regretted what happened, Calarruda told television cameras outside of court yesterday, "Oh yes, it's a sad thing. But, you know, all that meat could've fed some poor people, and instead it went into the ground. And ... that's all I can say right now."

Calarruda has other legal problems. Calarruda was charged June 9 with bringing an AK-47 assault rifle and a loaded ammunition magazine to his workplace. He was free on $40,000 bail on the firearm charge when the alleged pig incident occurred. Conviction on the firearms charge carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence.

Calarruda is facing revocation of his bail on the weapon case. The start of his jury trial for the firearm offenses has been continued to January.

According to documents filed at Circuit Court, the pig's owners, neighbors and the farm's resident manager heard the 300-pound animal squealing and saw two dogs and Calarruda chasing it into a garage on the farm property. The pig stopped squealing, and the neighbors saw Calarruda dragging the pig's bloody body out of the garage.

Calarruda was confronted by a neighbor and the resident manager after the neighbor saw him cut into one of the pig's legs with a knife. Calarruda and another man fled the farm after the neighbor pointed out the no-trespassing signs and told them the pig was a farm pet.

Porky had appeared on television in an airline commercial and on the television series "Lost," according to its owners.

If convicted, Calarruda faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on the livestock charge.

Reach Rod Ohira at rohira@honoluluadvertiser.com.