Man charged with beating puppy to death with hammer enters plea [View all]

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20131211/NEWS/131219698/1707#man-charged-with-beating-puppy-to-death-with-hammer-enters-plea

By Sarah Schulz

A man charged with beating a puppy to death with a ball-peen hammer has entered a plea agreement that also settles five other cases against him in Hall County.

Michael J. Berst, 26, of St. Paul, formerly of Grand Island, pleaded no contest in Hall County District Court to cruel mistreatment or mutilation of animals and tampering with physical evidence, which are both felonies, for an April 15 incident involving the death of a 6-month-old pit bull mix puppy named Buddy.

In exchange for his plea, five pending cases will be pleaded to or dismissed, including three cases that were originally set for preliminary hearings in Hall County Court on Tuesday. According to court documents, Berst will also enter pleas to a charge of felony burglary for a Nov. 10 incident and misdemeanor violation of a protection order for a Nov. 3 incident involving his estranged wife, Tara Berst.

Tara Berst filed a petition in district court for a domestic abuse protection order on Oct. 25. According to the petition, the couple has two children, a 4-year-old and a 9-month-old. She wrote about times during the last year when Michael Berst chased her; pulled her hair, causing her to fall; sent threatening text messages to her family; and smashed her phone while holding her down. She also mentioned the cases pending against him, including the death of the puppy.


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