(Tribune News Service) — A security guard who admitted he ordered his canine to bite a Black man during a confrontation outside of a New Jersey nightclub expressed regret for his actions and denied he is a racist during a court hearing this week.

The 2021 incident outside a Gloucester County restaurant drew national attention and sparked protests amid claims of racial bias.

Steven T. Rudy, 34, of Virginia, was working as an employee of a security firm contracted by Adelphia Restaurant in Deptford, when he and the dog “engaged a patron and were subsequently involved in an altercation with that patron, both at the front entrance and then in the restaurant’s parking lot,” according to prosecutors.

The dog bit the victim three times during the July 29 incident, according to court documents.

Part of the confrontation was captured in a 15-second video shared online that showed a Black man in the Adelphia parking lot yelling at several men in uniforms who were working as private security for the venue, according to news reports at the time.

Someone yelled “white p—y” at a guard who was holding a dog on a leash, and the guard then charged at the man who appeared to make the remark, bringing the dog with him, before the video ends.

Rudy, who is white, was originally charged with second-degree aggravated assault, but pleaded guilty in February to a fourth-degree count of unlawful possession of a weapon, specifically the trained canine.

Under the plea agreement, prosecutors offered Rudy a sentence of 14 months of probation.

When given the chance to address the court Tuesday, Rudy, a U.S. Army veteran, spoke at length about his experiences and his medical problems following eight years of military service, including time in combat.

He acknowledged struggling with anger.

“I want you to personally know that the most effective thing that I’ve taken from this to move forward from is that I know that I walked around very angry. I have a lot of hatred towards today’s society,” Rudy told Superior Court Judge Samuel J. Ragonese.

While he acknowledged his actions at the nightclub were wrong, he spoke at length about being branded a racist because of the incident.

“My reputation was ruined and I lost everything,” Rudy said, adding that he has children of mixed races.

Rudy told the judge he is receiving treatment from federal Veterans Affairs health providers for his medical and emotional health issues.

“I’m sorry for my behaviors, but I’m not sorry for being frustrated for being called a racist,” Rudy said. “I just want to make it known to the courts as clear as I possibly can and to the NAACP, and to Black Lives Matter and to all the journalists that have been harassing my father that is dying of stage 3 colon cancer — I need it to be known very clearly that race was not involved in this matter.”

When Rudy started describing the victim as “intoxicated” while addressing the court, Assistant Prosecutor Michael Mellon objected to the defendant’s remarks and said he was considering withdrawing the plea agreement.

“At this point, your honor, I’m sorry, but I’m of a mind to withdraw the plea on the state’s behalf,” the prosecutor eventually said. “He does not appear ready to accept guilt for his actions.”

“I’m going to get help at the VA, sir. I apologize,” Rudy responded.

The judge disagreed with the prosecutor’s assessment of Rudy’s remarks.

“I’m not hearing that, I’m hearing repentance, is what I’m hearing, Mr. Melon,” Ragonese said, acknowledging that he allowed Rudy to “vent.”

Rudy went on speaking, but the judge finally told him he heard enough.

“I do get how this has affected you,” Ragonese said. “That’s what you wanted me to hear. I have a sense of what has happened here in your life.”

Before sentencing Rudy, the judge recounted the defendant’s prior criminal record, which includes multiple arrests and time served behind bars, but noted that he has remained offense-free since the Deptford incident.

Rudy has been willing to get help and is likely to benefit from court-ordered treatment that is part of the plea agreement, Ragonese said.

Under terms of the plea deal, Rudy must complete a psychological evaluation and comply with treatment recommendations. He must also successfully complete an anger management program, pay restitution of $1,000 to the victim and have no contact with the victim.

The man injured in the incident told the Philadelphia Inquirer that Rudy pinned him to the ground with a knee in his abdomen while commanding the dog to bite him.

The trouble at the Adelphia nightclub began after the patron was told to remove his baseball cap, according to prior news accounts. The establishment’s dress code banned hats.

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