Vigil Planned For Anniversary Of Lacey Raccoon Slaying

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A vigil will take place for a raccoon beaten to death in Lacey. The vigil will take place from 2-5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 — the one-year anniversary of Lacey police first announcing an investigation into a video of a teen beating a raccoon with a baseball bat while another teen eggs him on.

The Lacey Raccoon Task Force, an animal-abuse awareness group that formed after the incident, has organized the event. It will take place outside the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, an agency which animal advocates have criticized for their handling of the case.

The OCPO has said that since the suspects are children, they cannot comment on the case.

"It would illegal for this office, as a law enforcement agency, to offer public comments on an investigation involving juveniles," OCPO Press Officer Bryan Huntenburg told Patch in an April statement. Read more: Lacey Raccoon Slaying Investigation Raises Concerns From Experts

Barry Bendar, a member of the Lacey Raccoon Task Force, has disputed the OCPO's position.

"The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office issues press releases about other juvenile cases, so why won't they tell the public what steps were taken regarding this animal cruelty case?" Bendar said. "Is it because they are completely ignoring their responsibility?"

The teens videotaped the incident, and it was shared on social media. The raccoon was caught in a trap. The slaying inspired public outrage, with nearly 9,000 people signing a petition for "justice."

The vigil will also focus on the role of the New Jersey Division of Fish & Wildlife, which is responsible for distributing hunting and trapping licenses.

"In March 2019 the New Jersey Fish and (Game) council saw the video," the Lacey Raccoon Task Force said in a press release. "In their minutes they admitted the raccoon was treated inhumanely but the council refused to revoke the trapping license from the youths, and referred the matter back to the County prosecutor's office to handle."

Here's more Patch coverage on the Lacey raccoon slaying:

• Lacey Raccoon Slaying Investigation Raises Concerns From Experts (April 19)
• The Lacey Raccoon Slaying And The Politics Of Trapping (July 23)
• NJ Senator Requests AG Address Lacey Raccoon Slaying (Oct. 28)

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