Virginia: Abingdon jury hearing trial of James Foran, accused of sexually assaulting dog

VIRGINIA -- A jury in Abingdon is hearing the case of a man accused of sexually assaulting a dog.

James Michael Foran is charged with crimes against nature.

If convicted, he could spend up to five years in prison.

According to evidence, Foran, an already convicted sex offender, offered to do odd jobs in the summer of 2014 for a resident of Wallace Pike in Washington County, Virginia, who had a rescue dog.

Police say Foran victimized the Labrador mix, which nearly died and had to undergo surgery at the University of Tennessee.

"It was the worst thing I've ever seen," said John Shull, owner of Addie, a 6-year-old Labrador mix. "I kind of take blame for the whole incident — if I never let him in my house, it never would have happened. We had no idea he was sex offender."

According to Shull, Foran had arrived at his home one night and was acting strange. Shull says he told Foran he was going to bed, and did so thinking that Foran had departed.

But at 6 a.m. the next day, Shull says Foran was found sitting in his truck outside the residence, "covered in mud." Shull says he woke Foran and asked where Addie was at, as she couldn't be located. Foran said the dog had been with him, according to Shull, and then departed. Shull located Addie outside a few minutes later — finding that she was also covered in mud.

It soon became obvious that something was terribly wrong with the dog: vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding. A trip to Ferguson Animal Hospital in Bristol broke the horrific news.

"He said, 'John, I've never seen this before, but your dog had seen sexually assaulted,'" recalls Shull. "I asked if an animal could have done it, he said no."

The extent of Addie's injuries required surgery at The University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, along with a several days stay to recuperate. Some of those injuries were were inflicted by a mixer attachment, according to Shull, which was located in the yard after the incident.

Authorities say DNA testing linked Foran to the assault.

But his attorney is challenging the security of that test sample at the time it was taken at a local vet’s office.

The trial is expected to last three days.

The Tennessee Sex Offender Registry lists Foran's primary address as 197 Harr Trail Road, Blountville, with a secondary address of 282 Broyles Lane, Bristol, Tenn. In May 1997 he was convicted of criminal attempt to commit aggravated sexual battery.

(WCYB - May 2, 2016)