Lawyer for man accused of sexually assaulting horse says story has been overhyped

DERBY -- The lawyer for a Shelton man accused of sexually assaulting his neighbor's horse claimed Thursday the case has been blown out of proportion.

"If this was a guy and a sheep in Litchfield, and I've had a few of those cases, this would not have gotten nearly the media attention it has," said Ralph Crozier, who represents 63-year-old Marian Wegiel.

"But I guess because a horse is higher off the ground, it leaves a little more to the imagination."

Wegiel, of 11 Partridge Lane, is charged with cruelty to animals, fourth-degree sexual assault, third-degree criminal trespass and second-degree breach of peace in the Oct. 18 incident.

According to police, Wegiel's neighbor heard her horse cry out in distress and when she looked outside she saw Wegiel in the corral with the horse.

On Wednesday, Crozier said he filed a motion in Superior Court here requesting his client be granted accelerated rehabilitation, a special program for nonviolent first offenders.

Under accelerated rehabilitation Wegiel would not admit to the allegations against him, but could be placed on up to two years probation. If he commits no further crimes during that probation the original charges against him would be dismissed.

A hearing on the request has been scheduled for March 11.

Crozier said his client is not admitting he abused the horse. "We have denied the allegations from the get go, and I don't think this is the kind of case a prosecutor wants to take to trial," he said.

He continued that his client is a good candidate for accelerated rehabilitation.

"He is a mild, church-going man with no previous criminal involvement. "I have more than a dozen letters from clergy and people in the community who support him and he has been examined by experts who have all concluded he poses no danger to himself or anyone else."

Contact Daniel Tepfer at 203-330-6308 or dtepfer@ctpost.com. Follow him on twitter.com/dantepfer