Assault and Kidnapping - Hudson Pleads Innocent to Charge

The local club owner arrested at his home Friday evening stood for arraignment in Caledonia District Court Monday morning.

Eric R. Hudson, 36, of Concord, pleaded innocent to a felony charge of kidnapping and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault.

Hudson, owner of the Packing House Lounge in Lyndonville, the Dawg House Tavern in St. Johnsbury and Max Dance Hall in Sutton, could face up to 30 years in prison and a $50,000 fine if convicted of the kidnapping charge.

According to the affidavit, Hudson asked Leonard J. "LJ" Carter Jr., 19, to step outside while at the Packing House Lounge around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Carter was reportedly at the bar for "teen night" with his father Leonard J. Carter Sr., who was working there as the disc jockey.

Once outside Hudson purportedly pushed LJ Carter up against a car and demanded to know where two snowmobiles were located, which Hudson said had been taken from All Around Power, a St. Johnsbury Center business owned by his brother Spencer Hudson, 34, of Concord.

Eric Hudson subsequently took LJ to the snowmobile store where they were met by Spencer Hudson, the affidavit states.

The three then drove, in an All Around Power truck, to the Barre area to retrieve the snowmobiles, which had been taken four to five days before Christmas, the court document claims.

During the trip, Eric allegedly punched LJ in the eye, choked him, forced his head into a snow bank and threatened to kill him when LJ couldn't initially locate the machines.

The snowmobiles were eventually found and transported back to All Around Power at which point Eric drove LJ home, claims the court document.

The affidavit states LJ received treatment on Thursday, Jan. 2, for bruises, and neck and back pain following the alleged assault. Police were notified of the incident by the Carters later that day.

LJ told the state police investigator, trooper David Peterson, that he was scared for his life during the incident and that he knew where the snowmobiles were because he was present when the machines were taken by two acquaintances of his.

According to LJ's mother, Patricia Carter, who works as a bartender at the Dawg House, Eric told her about the stolen snowmobiles and LJ's possible involvement prior to the incident and she said she would talk to LJ about it. Whether that conversation took place is not mentioned in the affidavit.

The affidavit states Patricia called Eric Friday afternoon and had a 25-minute recorded conversation with him. The phone call was recorded pursuant to a search warrant granted on Thursday.

During the conversation, Eric purportedly made several incriminating statements, which included admitting to taking LJ from the Packing House, "roughing" him up, and an apology for what he had done to her son.

Eric also told Patricia he never hit LJ with a closed fist and that the two had a deal in which neither one would go to the police as long as the snowmobiles were recovered, claims the affidavit.

No charges have yet been filed against Spencer Hudson or LJ and the two men who were implicated in the taking of the snowmobiles.

According to Caledonia County State's Attorney Bob Butterfield, the full results of the police investigations need to be received and reviewed before he can make any decisions regarding further charges.

Eric Hudson, who represented himself at the arraignment, was released on conditions that include reporting to the Caledonia County Sheriff's Department on Mondays and Saturdays, a continued bail of $1,000, which he posted following his arrest on Friday, and a curfew of 7 p.m.-6 a.m. except on days when he's working at his businesses at which point a 2 a.m.-6 a.m. curfew will be imposed.

He is also not to be within 500 feet of the Carters and has been ordered not to contact the family or harass them.

Eric, who told the court that he is in the process of obtaining counsel, successfully argued for a condition forbidding him to have contact with his brother, Spencer, not to be imposed and for his curfew to accommodate his work schedule.

Both the Packing House and the Dawg House, however, had their liquor licenses suspended Friday night by state liquor investigators. Max Dance Hall does not serve alcohol, and was not involved in the situation as a result.

According to William Goggins, director of education, licensing and enforcement at the Department of Liquor Control, the Vermont Liquor Board can take action against any establishment that has violated liquor regulations and in which they feel there is a threat to the safety of the general public.

Under Department of Liquor Control regulations, disturbances, brawls, fights or unlawful conduct shall not be permitted at any licensed premises.

At issue are the allegations that the incident began at the Packing House, indicated Goggins.

"The suspension was an emergency closure because of the severity of the allegations," said state liquor investigator Andre Thibault.

A suspension hearing, originally scheduled for today was postponed, but will likely be rescheduled and held within a week, Goggins said.

Goggins said the suspensions of the Packing House and Dawg House will likely be considered jointly at the hearing because Hudson is the owner of both.

The hearing will be held in front of the three appointed members of the Vermont Liquor Board at the Department of Liquor Control offices in Montpelier, and will be open to the public, said Goggins.

and now that the Police know who stole the SnoMos what are they doing about it? Pressing the case against the victims of course.

Two Snowmobiles Still Missing

Businessman Frustrated With Police

BY LARA HUETH, Staff Writer
Wednesday January 8, 2003

ST. JOHNSBURY VT- Solving crime is never easy, especially when the line between victim and violator is blurred.

Four snowmobiles were stolen from All Around Power in St. Johnsbury between Dec. 23 and Dec. 26 and two are still missing.

Owner Spencer Hudson is frustrated that state police are investigating his brother, Eric Hudson, and not searching for the two remaining stolen vehicles.

But police said all property complaints are taken seriously and that taking matters into one's own hands hampers the investigation.

Thirty-six-year-old Eric Hudson of Concord pleaded innocent to a felony charge of kidnapping and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault in Caledonia District Court Monday.

According to the affidavit, Eric Hudson beat and threatened 19-year-old LJ Carter last Wednesday night until Carter revealed the location of two stolen teal green Polaris snowmobiles.

Court documents state that Spencer Hudson was in the vehicle when the two brothers and Carter drove to Barre in an All Around Power truck to retrieve two stolen snowmobiles.

Spencer said he is upset that state police are aggressively pursuing his brother, but not recovering his lost vehicles.

Spencer told state police on Jan. 2 that two 2003 Polaris snowmobiles, worth $13,000 total, were taken and wonders why an official press release was not issued immediately.

In recent years, more than $100,000 in goods has been taken from All Around Power, said Spencer. The thefts include snowmobiles, watercraft, all-terrain vehicles and tractors.

Nabbing a snowmobile is a common pastime. "We're the toy store in town," said Spencer.

Spencer said he chains down most of his vehicles and that it is impossible to store them all inside. He plans to install a video camera on his property.

Spencer called the assault and kidnapping charges against his brother "ridiculous." Why should the testimony of one person, LJ Carter, be allowed to wreak havoc in Eric's life, asked Spencer.

Eric is the owner of two nightclubs, the Packing House Lounge in Lyndon and the Dawg House in St. Johnsbury. His liquor license was revoked by the Vermont Liquor Board since part of the alleged assault took place on Packing House Lounge property.

State police are working diligently to recover the two remaining stolen snowmobiles, said Sgt. Robert Clark of the St. Johnsbury barracks. Clark added that the allegations of kidnapping and assault tied up police and hampered the stolen property investigation.

Moreover, Spencer did not report the theft of the 2003 Polaris Indy 340 Edge and the Polaris 600 Classic Touring until a week after the crime occurred. Spencer phoned state police Thursday morning and reported that the vehicles were taken between the 24th and the 26th of December, said Clark.

The teal green snowmobiles, recovered after the alleged incident with Carter, had been left outside unchained, said Clark.

No charges have been filed against Spencer Hudson, and Eric Hudson is innocent until proven guilty. In general, however, Clark said taking matters into one's hands is never a good idea.

"This isn't the Old West where you string someone up for stealing a horse," Clark said. Nowadays, there are consequences to such actions, Clark said.

Two snowmobiles are still missing and anyone with information about the blue 600 Classic Touring model and a red and black Indy 340 Edge, should contact the state police in St. Johnsbury at 748-3111, or Northeast Kingdom Crime Stoppers at 748-2222.

And on the Editorial page:

Mark M. Smith, Publisher Ellie Dixon, Managing Editor

Bars Bottled Up For No Good Reason

Thursday January 9, 2003

We're still waiting for a good reason why enforcers with the Vermont Department of Liquor Control put employees at two local bars out of work. So far all we've been able to come up with is that the enforcers are merely power-tripping bureaucrats.

The Packing House Lounge in Lyndonville and the Dawg House Tavern in St. Johnsbury were forced by the DLC Friday night to stop serving liquor. The suspension on serving liquor is still in effect.

What prompted the action against the bars are allegations of criminal conduct filed against the owner of the establishments, Concord resident Eric Hudson, 36. Hudson is facing a felony charge of kidnapping and a misdemeanor charge of simple assault for alleged behavior on Jan. 1.

Hudson allegedly roughed up Leonard J. "LJ" Carter Jr., 19. The confrontation, according to Carter, was over snowmobiles that had been stolen from All Around Power, a business owned by Hudson's brother. Carter told police that Hudson drove him away from the lounge, demanding he reveal the location of the snowmobiles.

Carter, who admitted to playing a role in the theft of the snowmobiles, has not yet been charged with a crime.

As far as the criminal process is concerned, we expect Hudson's case to be handled no differently than any other person accused of a crime. He's innocent until proven guilty.

It's the involvement of liquor control that has us concerned.Yeah, me too

The liquor-serving suspensions at the Packing House and the Dawg House were premature at best and more likely flat-out unjustified.

Liquor control claims the power to take action against any establishment that has violated liquor regulations. No such accusation was made against Hudson's establishments.

Further, the DLC claims the power to act on liquor-serving businesses in which there is a threat to the safety of the general public. The Dawg House is automatically excluded because Hudson was nowhere near there when he allegedly confronted Carter. Neither is the Packing House guilty of such an infraction. Hudson isn't accused of threatening the general public. The accusation against him comes from one man and that man happens to be someone accused of helping steal snowmobiles from Hudson's brother.

There is also a requirement under DLC regulations that states disturbances, brawls, fights of unlawful conduct shall not be permitted at any licensed premises. Once again, the Dawg House played host to no such activity, and as far as anyone currently knows beyond a reasonable doubt, neither did the Packing House. At present, Hudson is not guilty of anything illegal outside the Packing House, let alone assaulting and kidnapping Carter. He is only accused.

Liquor control agents should not have been so eager to descend on Hudson's liquor-selling businesses. Through their power play, the agents are depriving businesses of income, employees of wages, and a bunch of people a night out at their favorite bar.

A hearing was supposed to take place Tuesday in order for the DLC to justify the liquor suspensions. The hearing was postponed to sometime within a week.

Instead of the owner, the workers and the patrons of the Packing House and the Dawg House waiting on the DLC, the DLC officials should be the patient ones. They ought to wait for a reason before they run out and start locking liquor cabinets.

I love small towns!

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