Free and Clear: Terry Cullen’s Story and Next Chapter

“After national headlines and nearly three years of litigation, the sensational prosecution of a Milwaukee reptile expert ended Friday with two noncriminal citations. Terry Cullen met all the conditions of an agreement announced in November, and so ended his long legal battle with some fines and a fraction of the restitution sought by the woman who started the case.” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel by Bruce Vielmetti. On this episode, Terry Cullen shares his tragic story.   Topics covered on this show: 1) A brief history of the charges filed against Terry Cullen in 2010 and their dismissal in 2013; 2) Being aware that nefarious actors can ruin peoples’ lives and careers with false allegations; 3) How the media and courts of public opinion can convict people before they face an accuser; 4) About the supporters rallying to rehabilitate Terry Cullen’s damaged character and career. Terry Cullen is considered among the top experts in the world in the study and care of crocodilians and reptiles, and has worked with hundreds of species in his career.  His work has allowed us new and surprising glimpses into the actual lives and characters of many heretofore misunderstood or mischaracterized animals, the Cuban Crocodile being a prime example. What happened to Terry Cullen could happen to anyone caring for animals where government agencies rely on shoddy intelligence and knee jerk decisions based on false assumptions. "My life was destroyed," Cullen, 63, said in a courthouse hallway. "My health, my finances, my reputation. I was not guilty of anything. Listen to Terry on the 12/04/2010 broadcast on Law Talk Radio