DAVIE, Fla. – A Broward County circuit court judge has denied a "stand your ground" motion for a man accused of attacking his neighbor over feeding ducks.
"This has taken up 20 months of my life," Quinten Putnam told Local10 News.
Putnam was arrested in May 2014 after a neighbor confronted him about feeding a family of Muscovy ducks at his home in Davie.
"I have a soft spot for them and I feed them," Putnam said.
Putnam said David Lawn became incensed at him for feeding the ducks, which many consider nuisances, and a physical altercation began, during which both men suffered minor head injuries.
But Davie police charged Putnam with felony battery on a person over the age of 65.
"I'm 55 years old (and) never been in trouble in my life," Putnam said.
Witnesses said they saw Putnam strike Lawn several times while they were on the ground, but Putnam insists it was only to subdue him after Lawn attacked him.
"There are certainly some issues with the case, but when it comes to stand your ground, I just don't see it," Judge Raag Singhal said.
One issue is that a key witness admitted in a deposition that she didn't actually see how the squabble began.
Putnam said the arrest cost him a job he'd landed in Oregon and just last week he lost his home and he is now destitute.
"I'm fortunate enough that at the last minute a friend of mine stepped in and offered me to stay at his house with my cats and my birds," Putnam said. "I had absolutely nowhere to go."
Lawn has refused to speak to Local 10 News about the case, but Putnam says he is eager to defend himself at trial.