Grass Lake man questioned about stalking allegations

ROME TWP. — A Grass Lake man facing trial on animal cruelty charges was questioned Oct. 6 about allegations he was stalking two animal control officers and “keyed” their vehicles at an auction.

James Edward Henderson Jr., 42, told a Lenawee County deputy sheriff he followed a Jackson County animal control officer at the auction as he was going to a restroom, according to a report released Friday. Seven horses seized from him earlier this year were being auctioned at Tom Moore Sales, 11771 W. U.S. 223. Officials seized 69 horses after allegations were made that the herd he and Matthew Patrick Mercier, 32, of Manchester owned were suffering from neglect and dangerous living conditions.

The animal control officers told a deputy that Henderson followed one of the officers when she exited the auction barn to call a Jackson County assistant prosecutor. As she walked around the barn, the officers said, Henderson continued to follow her from about 10 feet away. He did step into another barn for a short time, they said.

Later, the officers found their vehicles, one a pickup owned by Jackson County and the other a privately owned sport utility vehicle, had been scratched on their passenger sides.

The incident occurred between 7 and 11:30 p.m.

When the deputy asked Henderson for his keys, Henderson refused, saying he may have given them to a friend, according to the report. The deputy described Henderson as defensive and uncooperative.

Mercier was in a group of people with Henderson, and he told the deputy the group was together the entire time. The animal control officers later told the deputy they saw Henderson walking along U.S. 223 and Mercier in a back field, harassing purchasers and apparently writing down vehicle license plate numbers.

The officer who allegedly was followed told the deputy there was a court order forbidding Henderson from bidding on the horses and that his bids were being rejected by the auctioneer. Henderson told the deputy he was there only to make sure the sale went OK and that he had permission from a judge to be there. The Jackson County assistant prosecutor told the deputy there was no court order banning Henderson from the auction, only the original seizure order.

The deputy’s report was to be sent to the Lenawee County Prosecutor’s Office for review for possible stalking or obstruction charges.

Henderson and Mercier are scheduled for a trial on Dec. 3 in Jackson County Circuit Court, according to published reports. An auction of 20 horses in September netted $3,779 for the county, which is caring for the herd that grew to 80 as mares foaled. Other auctions are scheduled for Saturday at the Napoleon Livestock Commission and Nov. 4 at the Michigan State University Pavilion in East Lansing.

The forfeiture was ordered by a Jackson County district judge after Henderson failed to post a $134,614 bond,