Story by R.T. Fitch ~ Author/President Wild Horse Freedom Federation
Wild Horse Killer Could Be Released
One of dozens of Meduna's Victims
HOUSTON (SFTHH) – Sources close to SFTHH have verified that Jason Meduna, convicted of 145 counts of felony animal cruelty carrying a sentence of 5-10 years, is up for parole on October 26th, 2011 after barely serving 20 months of his sentence. Meduna shocked a Nebraska court and the nation in April of ’09 when dozens of wild horses were found dead from starvation on his Nebraska 3- Strikes Ranch with hundreds more sick and dying.
Over 200 animals were removed from the ranch in April, 2009, by the local Sheriff’s Department and awarded to the care and custody of the Texas based Equine Protection Agency, Habitat for Horses. The surviving horses were taken to the Morrill County Fairgrounds in Bridgeport were they were provided food and medical care. Habitat for Horses, Front Range Rescue, the HSUS and many local volunteers helped in re-homing the starving mustangs for rehabilitation.
Upon the early 2010 conviction the judge divided the sentencing into two categories, for the animals that died and for those that were sick and injured. Of the 31 felony counts charged on the animals that had died, the judge sentenced Meduna to 20 to 60 months on each count, and then ordered the 31 counts to be served concurrent (or altogether) with one another. On the remaining 114 felony counts concerning animals that were sick or injured, the judge also sentenced Meduna to 20 to 60 months on each count, with the 114 counts to be served concurrent.
The judge then ordered the two 20 to 60 month sentences to be served consecutive to one another, totaling the 40 to 120 month sentence.
Under Nebraska law, Meduna is eligible for parole in 20 months.
Meduna’s hearing schedule may reviewed at http://www.parole.state.ne.us/schedule.html
Comments may be submitted to:
Board of Parole
Correctional Service Building
P.O. Box 94754
Lincoln, NE 68509-4754
For Additional Information and Background on Case Click (HERE)
Update
Since the publication of this article, earlier today, a groundswell of indignation at this travisty of just has begun to build across many social networks. Our good friends over to “Our Compass” have re-run our article and went to great lengths to find out who to contact and how to do so in an effort to thwart Meduna’s efforts of an early escape from prison.
Please see information supplied by “Our Compass” below:
WHOM TO CONTACT
Because of time limitations, we are asking you to fax and email your letters. Faxing letters is SO easy from HERE – you can fax two per day for free, there is no registration or commitments, just enter the fax number and copy the letter into the text area, provide an email address and name, and send:
Fax
1. Click on http://faxzero.com/
2. Enter your name and email address (fax number is not required for you.)
3. Copy the Sample Letter or your own words into the text area.
4. Address the fax to Board of Parole
5. Fax number to use is: 402-479-5804
6. You will receive an email to confirm your letter, you MUST click on the link provided for the fax to be sent: Please click on the URL below to send your fax to Board of Appeals at 4024795804
Email (2)
Catherine Gibson-Beltz, Administrator
Phone: (402) 479-5771
Email: cathy.gibson-beltz@nebraska.gov
Kathy Hohnstein, Public Information Officer
Phone: (402) 479-5720
Email: kathy.hohnstein@nebraska.gov
SAMPLE LETTER
RE: Jason Meduna
Dear Board of Parole and Whom It Concerns,
After serving 20 months of his 5-10 year sentence, animal abuser and killer Jason Meduna, convicted of 145 counts of felony animal cruelty, is a candidate for parole on October 26. Mr. Meduna was convicted of heinous acts of cruelty on horses, including dozens of killings via starvation, and hundreds of horses in the process of dying from lack of medical care and denial of food and water. With malice and intent, Mr. Meduna caused the intentional death of dozens of horses and hundreds of dying horses. After a review of this case and developing a better idea of the situation, I find it necessary to voice my concern along with an ever-growing national collective who share my disbelief and outrage regarding the utter depravity displayed in this case. I therefore respectfully request Mr. Meduna be denied parole and remain safely away from society and animals.
Although not required, I do feel it important to validate my concerns: when I try to imagine what possible motive animal abusers entertain for subjecting their animal victims to such malicious, heinous acts of brutality, I fail, but I am thankful for a lack of cognitive understanding and rationalization. To engage in such malevolent behaviour absolutely suggests sociopathic and sadistic tendencies and demonstrates an incontrovertible lack of morality regarding other living beings and a gross disrespect for the law. In fact, a person who shows such a remarkable lack of compassion towards animals has, disturbingly enough, the ability to show such indifference towards humans. This link between animal and human abuse has been established, and if we excuse or ignore these violent acts of abuse and killing, we would be serving an injustice to both animals and society.
It is my prediction that you may scoff at this message, disregarding it as the exaggerated rhetoric and embellished rantings of an animal welfare advocate. However, I have no motive, no potential financial gain, no physical profit, no commercial advantage; indeed, my only focus is to protect the innocent, sentient animals often regarded as mere sacrificial, expendable beings, objectified and disposable. This is a dangerous position and an absolute example of unprincipled endeavors and immoral behaviours. When animals are subjected to such brutality with no human accountability, our society inaccurately concludes that animals are not worthy of empathy, compassion, or rights. We become desensitized to the issue of animal abuse, and our children learn troubling lessons that are contrary to respect of and towards animals, which often evolves into a lack of empathy for humans. We must do everything in our power to allocate necessary resources to investigation, apprehension, and prosecution of animal cruelty cases. I understand that yours can be a challenging position, limited by vague and inadequate laws as well as insufficient funds; however, we are intelligent people with loud voices and tireless determination, and I believe we can make a difference or initiate change to better protect our animal friends as well as society. Please proceed with the most severe penalties, denying Mr. Meduna parole, and examine where existing legal mandates may be rewritten to address the current inadequacy of such sentences.
I know your time is limited and I thank you for your attention to this urgent issue and lengthy message.
NAME
ADDRESS
ATTENDING
If you live near and can attend Mr. Meduna’s parole hearing, that would be helpful. According to the following schedules found HERE, Mr. Meduna’s day of hearing will begin Wednesday, October 26 at 8:30 am. The address is:
Parole Hearings
Community Corrections Center
Lincoln, Nebraska
Directions are as follows as taken from HERE:
From Interstate 80, take Exit 397 (Hwy 77 South/Beatrice) and continue approximately 4 miles to the “Lincoln via Van Dorn Street” exit and turn right (west) onto West Van Dorn; continue on West Van Dorn for approximately 1.5 miles.
If northbound on Hwy 77 from Beatrice, exit at the “Lincoln via Van Dorn Street” / “Pioneers Park” signs and turn left (west) onto West Van Dorn; continue on West Van Dorn for approximately 1.5 miles. The facility is located on the right (the north entrance to Pioneers Park is on the left).
Categories: Horse News, Wild Horses/Mustangs
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
This is how the judicial system is working for us… Some deranged individual gets a slap on the wrist for having caused suffering of unspeakable proportions. The American judicial system, sure quick to go after the innocent or crucify those who want to help – yet those causing harm and inflicting pain, starvation and suffering on defenseless victims such as Meduna did – walk free after sitting a few months. WHAT A DISGRACE.
May his name always remind this nation of the horror that silently took place in Nebraska and may the Board of Parole in NE get inundated with protests !
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I didn’t put my feelings in the article but call and write the Parole board and give them your level-headed opinion…it could make a huge difference in their decision.
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Monica, Remember. . .”Criminals Have More Rights Than God”. . .
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i never gave Jason any of my money but I know he came to Alex’s site and beg money for the horses. There was a HUGE frackus because he said his neighbors were poisoning the horses–putting down cow feed right next to the fence.
There was a huge deal over one horse who disappeared.
Then when somebody came to Alex’s to tell us that things weren’t as they seemed (and he wouldn’t tell us who they were) he was disbelieved.
All of a sudden things unraveled quickly. Jason got caught with his pants down. Horses were starved–ask Pam Nickoles about her horses.
This man starved more horses than Pickle the Vick. Pickle the Vick served some 20 months. Don’t the horses deserve better?
RT how do you word such a letter? Just what you feel? Or do you have to site law and examples????
Not sure if we can get the Jason folder back at Prospero–if we had a Court Order that might help. I’m suggesting this path because a lot of people gave money, were ripped off and they also deserve justice. Even Cheryl Jones who suddenly died several weeks ago and now has no voice. I’m thinking those folks should also have a say so. Or at least be given a chance to write a letter if they choose to. They can’t if they don’t know about the possibility of parole.
I say keep the scumbucket in jail.
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Yes he deserves to stay in prison, but as long as groups like ABR exist so will this evil. It was not Jason that whined on ABR as much as his mouth piece Kristy Heirdorn ( Best Little Horse House Rescue) that begged for the funds. And ABR ripped anyone to shreds that dared suggest their beloved Jason was doing any wrong. ABR feeds more scammers and allows bad rescues to continue than any group I know. They will defend to the end and then wring their hands when the horses are dying… ie Meduna, Mary At Hidden Meadows, Kristin Chamber at Winding Road, Christy Sheidy at AC4H- just to name a few. They are a group of histrionic women. This group gives the term beating a dead horse a whole new meaning. WONDER HOW MANY MORE OF THE MEDUNA HORSES WOULD HAVE SURVIVED IF THESE PEOPLE HAD NOT INTERFERED!
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I understand your anger towards this whole problem, believe me, I do. There are many lessons to be learned thru it all; and yes there might be some ABR stuff that goes on that is not so good; but I’m finding out that is everywhere. Most of those people that Meduna had eating out of his hand, quickly changed when they found out the truth. They did all they could to help save the horses. Yes, there were ‘red flags’ all over the place; but he told a different story and they didn’t live in this area to know that most were complete lies; from weather, power outages, feeding and getting to the horses, etc etc. The problem people should ponder, is how some can still believe in him whole-heartedly. It is those people that I worry about the well being of a horse’s future.
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He can go free and never look back, and those poor horses that suffered before they died at his hands can never say that he should be kept in prison longer, what was done was despicable. But hopefully he will have his judgment day..
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ABSOLUTELY NO PAROLE PERIOD!
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Then I highly recommend that we get on the phone, fax and emails and let the Nebraska Parole Department how we feel about Meduna getting out early.
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Its a done deal !!!!!!!!faxed and emailed
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Stacy, over to The Compass, has re-run this story with a great sample letter and email addresses, go check it out….
http://our-compass.org/2011/10/21/breaking-news-convicted-nebraska-wild-mustang-murderer-up-for-parole-send-sample-letter-requesting-parole-be-denied/
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I was on ABR at that time. There, it was constant postings, photos, videos. The horror. As Meduna sat in his kitchen overlooking the corral, he watched for weeks, months, as the horses starved & without WATER! Watched as horses ate the wood fencing. And it is still unknown how many horses died and never discovered. There were pits of bones. Some horses needed to be carried to place on the truck to go to the Fairgrounds for emergency care. To see them so weak!! So thin!!! Why? Pure EVIL. At the Fairgrounds, how rejuvenating to see the horses drinking water of life…all around the large round basin. Most profound is the photo taken by Jerry Finch when he 1st flew over 3-Strikes Ranch. All alone on the vast barren wasteland, was a solitary Mustang Paint looking up at the plane. For me, this was a moment of such sadness and yet beauty, hope . This black and white mustang, later named Voodoo, had the most piercing blue eyes. He was a beacon ❤ to alert the rescue angels<3 I hope this link goes through of Voodoo looking up at the plane. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v311/jfinch/065.jpg
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Ronnie, that paint Voodoo was brought down to Habitat for Horses for rehabilitation and was eventually adopted by Willie Nelson…so, that staring up into the sky at Jerry did bring that horse not only hope, but a chance at life.
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This despicable SOB should be dropped out in the middle of Death Valley and never seen again. Why we are seeing so many disgusting human beings wake up each day, breathe air, eat, and go to bed at night after making money on the backs of beautiful horses being mistreated, starved, and send to slaughter is beyond comprehension. I hope that all of these idiots get their just rewards when God sees them on justment day. As far as I’;m concerned, there is nothing that could be done to them that would equal what they did to these beautiful animals. May enough people complain to the appropriate people in Nebraska that this SOB rots in jail for the rest of his life. Five to ten years was not even enough for this idiot. May we see a turning, not to far off, for our wild horses, burros, and domesticated horses that are being treated so badly and sent to slaughter. When that day comes, all of us that love these animals can finally know that all the work was not in vain and that we WON over all the injustices that was done to our beloved U.S. icon.
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Please try to keep this monster in jail as long as possible. Thanks for the info, RT. Our wild horses (and domestic) need to have better protection and the expectation of appropriate sentences for criminal abuse.
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Ronnie, this needs to be posted on ABR if it hasn’t already…
Posted on everyone’s Facebook pages and newsfeed or what ever it is called there on Facebook. I don’t Tweet, but there and everywhere, since ABR actives have become lesser and lesser due to other major scams, destructiveness, neglect and thievery, such as this.
May Jason and these other people, suffer as they have allowed and watched the helpless suffer! Withholding nourishment and water is the most evil, cruel, selfish, immoral, despicable and intentional torture to another living being there is.
Rot in prison, Jason! You do not deserve freedom, life or anything else!
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RT may we please re-post this all over? What permissions do we need? I don’t wanna violate copyrights and so forth.
I think its important that folks this creep could be set free.
And someone needs to keep an eye on him–how he lives and such. All those monies that were donated to him–did he hide those in some fund overseas that we don’t know about? I mean if he’s living WAY beyond what his checking acct can afford that should set off some alarms.
PS–Will you be in Reno next week????
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Please re-post it anywhere as it is mine and as long as it links back to the original I have no problem with it as we need to get the message out!!!!
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Remember Meduna got alot of help from BLM and I’m not sure the local authorities would have bothered (and yes they did, BUT…..) this travesty got noticed when the catlle people next to Meduna were accused of poisoning the equines. I do believe that family had been trying to report the situation BEFORE Meduna accused them of poisoning.
Animal cruelty cases just don’t get the judicial or local law enforcement attention that they should….look at the Presidio feedlot horrors or that creep in MT that Jerry helped out with.
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Clarification: Finch didn’t help the creep; he helped sort out the disaster the creep created. Didn’t Crow Nation horsemen help out with that one too? Maybe I’m confusing different creep, animal disaster creators.
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Please do not forget that the real blame lies with the BLM that allows large numbers of our wild horses to be sold by the truckload to dubious characters. They have nothing in place that makes them check up on these large adopters. They have the money to have a part of their staff dedicated to adoption follow up and to investigate complaints and to even rescue branded mustangs found in killpens, but it is not important to them. The ONLY thing that matters to them is removing them from the wild. Wild horses are not a treasure to the BLM like they are to Americans. They are a problem to be eradicated.
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RT; you never cease to amaze me in your dedication. A note to all: as far as getting the word out, don’t forget all the FB and whatever else. Many people that are not so closely involved in horse rescue know nothing of this matter; but they would do what they could if they knew. Jason was actually released on a Community Release thru the Correctional Facility over a month ago. He still has to report back in the evenings. The NE Parole Board had NOTHING to do with that. Wednesday, is their voice.
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OH…SH*T!!!!….So this is a done deal?!?!?
Isn’t the Freiberger Family in the circumstances that led to this disastorous discovery????
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There were many, many people involved.
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Thank You!!!
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He should remain in Jail for the Duration of his sentence , what this man did is inexcusable……………………. by any standards…………………….no time ever served by this man is enough to ever reconcile what horrors he inflicted on those beautiful horses………………………….
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arlene…with all due respect to your post, the legal system and budget problems do not support your position.
Should he stay in jail? Certainly! Will he? Probably NOT!…Why? Ask the people of #OWS across the country and world. They/We are sick of an unfair playing field and lack of justice.
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You are right he belongs in Jail , but ya know what I also believe that what goes around comes around, pay backs are a bitch , he will get his what goes around comes around, on that we can be sure…………………………. Everyone knows what he did !!!! Also I am hoping our Justice system does not fail !!!!!!
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Amen to all the posts. I certainly will get my letter sent. What a scam of our
judicial system sometimes. And they wonder why people are protesting all over
our country regarding so many injustices. Lock the guy up and throw away the
key FOREVER!
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Double Amen, Sister Friend (I’m from a strong Southern background and know about the term “sister”…)….it’s about family and standing up for right. The “brother” thing is a bit more hazy. Leave it to women to be ecumenical.
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I will never forget. I live with three and was there at Lifesavers when 26 mamas and babies came in.
I have not only written a letter from my heart but have included all the before and after photos I have and sent it to the board. Including photos of then “baby Blue” who he was trying to raise funds for. Baby Blue is now Lazarus as he rose from the dead to run again, I am honored to love on him everysingle day.
Rot in hell Jason. I see their faces they don’t forget.
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As long as the law does not take this brutality, cruelty and just plain inhumane treatment of animals seriously and truly slam the gavel down hard, no animal is safe in the US. We scream about the brutality animals see in other countries when our laws are a joke, rarely enforced and never serious enough. Our system allows the brutal torture of our equine and shelves the protection they need. They send us generic letters in response to our pleas to once and for all end this madness. I for one, will not vote for any politician that does not publicly take a stand for S1176 and HR2966 PERIOD. This man should have served his full sentence for the insane cruelty he put upon these innocent animals. My heart hopes his parole is denied, but my brain says, probably not.
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Sure hope they don’t let this guy out. What a despicable treatment of the horses and abandonment of his guardian role toward them!
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The justice system sucks in this case!
Don’t forget this fact: Paroled doesn’t mean he is innocent! The system allows for parole and certain criteria has to be met even to consider parole.
I feel terrible that he doesn’t have to fulfill his obligation to the sentencing on serving at least 40 months.
I have been threatened with legal action by some of jason’s supporters for my small part in this rescue.
I never got a chance to testify, I was subpeonied and was there the duration of the trial.
Hindsight says that Jerry Finch and memebers of HSUS should have testified, but…the trial would have been prolonged and messy.
Morrill County could not afford that process…the County Attorney did what she thought was important in processing the case…she got the conviction and Meduna can’t be around an animal unless he leaves the state.
The system failed in this case.
I won’t or can’t forget what I witnessed…it has become eveident every day I see the beautiful mare I rescued from this monster.
She isn’t alive today because of me, she is alive because people cared.
Mr. Fitch please forgive me for some of my past comments. You have chosen a tough job.
Jim Weber
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