Crime & Safety
Judge Reduces Ticket for Sanford's Straying Dog
Fine for former first lady dropped to $150 for dog at large charge.
SULLIVAN'S ISLAND — Former South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford today pleaded guilty and paid a much-reduced fine for the February incident in which her dog was found roaming the streets on Sullivan's Island.
Officers had originally issued a $1,040 fine for Sanford's second dog-at-large offense, but Municipal Court Judge Lawrence Duffy Jr. dropped it to $150 at a hearing this afternoon.
"I've been a judge since 1989, and I can't think of many $1,000 tickets I have signed," Duffy said. "But when people come before the court, I try to escalate the fine."
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Previously, Duffy dropped the fine from $500 to $90, and Sanford said she found a new home for that dog, because it truly was a "runner," and would not stay in her yard.
"This dog never leaves the yard," Sanford said. "There were exceptional circumstances."
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Read more about the Jenny Sanford dog case.
Next door, crews were filming an episode of "Army Wives," and the loud generators woke Sanford at 5 a.m. that morning, she said.
"He left our yard to get away from the big noise," Sanford said.
Following court, Sanford said she had no problem paying a fine for the roaming dog, but she said the original $1,000 amount was far too expensive.
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