JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The 4th Judicial Circuit of Florida is active on social media sharing information about events and cases the Jacksonville-based office is engaged in.
But it’s not often that State Attorney Melissa Nelson takes to social media personally to address cases.
She did Friday night.
A message from Nelson was posted on the 4th Judicial Circuit’s Facebook page stating that her office has been inundated with people reaching out about the case of Beverly Sasberry.
She’s the 64-year-old Jacksonville woman facing nearly a dozen counts of animal cruelty and reckless driving after 11 baby ducklings were runover and killed in April on the Westside.
Nelson released the following message:
“More than 2,000 people have contacted our office about the prosecution of Beverly Sasberry, the woman who ran over 11 baby ducklings in Jacksonville in April.
This week, we have officially filed 11 felony counts of animal cruelty against Sasberry. An experience animal cruelty prosecutor is overseeing this case, and we will pursue it with the seriousness it deserves. ..." - State Attorney Melissa Nelson
Sasberry appeared before a Duval County Circuit Court judge Thursday and pleaded not guilty.
Neighbors and witnesses reportedly told Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office that Sasberry said “I’ll do it again,” after the ducklings were runover.
One of Sasberry’s Jacksonville Heights neighbors told Action News Jax that he confronted her after the April 25 incident and she said she was upset that the ducks pooped in her yard.
Sasberry wasn’t arrested until five days later on April 30 after a Jacksonville officer said he observed her not making a complete stop at a stop sign, a police arrest report states.
“Without being asked any questions, the suspect stated that she knows we stopped her regarding an incident that her neighbors reported about ducks,” the report states. “The suspect continued to say that she is frustrated with the ducks in her neighborhood because of the duck. poop.
“I read the suspect her Miranda Rights via card and asked her specific questions regarding this incident,” the officer stated in the report.
Sasberry’s next scheduled court appearance is June 25 for a pretrial hearing, according to Duval County court documents.
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