The man whose suicidal threats drew the Manchester police SWAT unit, as well as uniformed officers, to a house at 196 Laurel St. was arraigned in Manchester District Court on a felony charge of cruelty to animals and misdemeanors of disorderly conduct, resisting detention and violation of bail conditions.

Court documents show that Steven Beland, 21, who lives on the second floor at the Laurel Street address, called 911, said he had a knife and was going to stab his dog and would kill himself if police went up to his apartment.

  (Photo courtesy of WMUR News 9 of Beland at arson hearing in 2008)

Police set up a perimeter around the building and used a public address system to try to persuade Beland to come outside, but said his response was to twice lean out a window with a 16-inch machete in his right hand, swinging it and yelling: "Just shoot me. F. . .ing shoot me!"

Police said he did the same thing while standing in his front doorway.

At one point, after police spoke with Beland on the phone, he came to the front door of the building, but when told to put his hands on his head and step away, he retreated into the building.

Police said Beland's girlfriend, who they did not identify, was with him in the apartment voluntarily. Witnesses at the scene said she came outside with him, but after he retreated she also went back inside the building.

After two hours, Beland was taken into custody by SWAT members and taken to the Elliot Hospital for evaluation.

The felony animal cruelty charge accuses Beland of hitting his pit bull on the head, causing lacerations and stabbing the dog in the left hip.

Because Beland was out on bail on a charge of conduct after an accident, scheduled for arraignment Jan. 25 in District Court, prosecutors filed a bail revocation motion and a hearing was set.

A probable cause hearing on the animal cruelty felony was set for Jan. 27. Trial on the misdemeanors was set for April 5.

Update 1/14/11:  A city man whose threats to harm his dog and himself with a machete during a standoff will remain jailed until a probable cause hearing later this month.

The probable cause hearing will be Jan. 27 in Manchester District Court.

Beland pleaded innocent to charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest at his arraignment Wednesday in District Court and trial on those charges and the conduct after an accident charge were set for April 5.

Beland was convicted in 2007 on separate reckless conduct and simple assault charges, in 2008 for two arson charges and one of violation of probation and in 2009 for violation of probation.

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