"The Pig Did It" Defense Works

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 2 November 2017)


     "Porky" absconds, while Ahmet Bey frets.

In Ahmetli village of Izmir's Torbalı district, Ahmet Akkurt (65), who
runs a coffee house, was at wit's end trying to find a solution for the
wild pigs damaging his olive trees.  Desperate, Akkurt mixed poison
in with water and put it in a bowl at the base of the twelve trees.

One of the pigs that came down from the hills drank the poison and
died.  A team from the Forestry Service happened to be patrolling the
area and found the pig's carcass by the side of the road.  The Gendarmerie
was informed and an investigation revealed that the pig had died from
drinking the poisoned water Akkurt put in place at the base of the trees.

The Forestry Service assessed a fine of 5,400 TL against Akkurt but
he resisted, saying in court that "the real criminal is the pig."  After
reviewing photographs of the damage done to the olive trees by the
pigs, the court ruled  that Akkurt had committed the crime to protect
his property and was, in fact, the victim, so the fine was canceled. The
Forestry Service appealed but the higher court validated the original
court's decision.

Akkurt commented on the case as follows: "My trees were damaged.
I hung barbed wire but the pigs still came.  My last hope was the
poisoned water.  I'm not an animal-hater.  It's a model court decision.
I just pray the pigs don't come anymore.  Because of a pig I've spent
years in court."