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05-19-2005, 04:07 AM | #1 |
Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member | FiNALLY - Man gets JAIL TIME ! I heard on the news another sick evil abuse story - a man TAPED his dogs mouth shut - the poor doggie died from heat exhaustion because it was unable to pant ! Can you IMAGINE what that poor dog went thru...I almost cried hearing this. Someone FINALLY stepped up to the plate and gave the monster who did this TWO years in jail !! Usually Animal Abuse is a misdomeaner and they get a slap on the wrist - this is an awesome milestone because he really got the book thrown at him and I bet he thought he was going to get a minor fine or less.....YAY - The system finally took action against one of these sickos !!! |
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05-19-2005, 04:28 AM | #2 |
YT Addict Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 367
| I am glad to hear he got a lengthy sentence. I work in a correctional facility, and most of the criminals, especially the animal abusers, are undersentenced. One of our inmates broke into his girlfriend's house, stabbed her two cats to death, left the knife in one of them, and left the poor cats there for her to find. He was sentenced to work release, which means he got to go out to work for up to 12 hours every day. His sentence length was less than six months. In my opinion the punishment certainly didn't fit the crime. People who treat animals so horribly have a very dark side. Preying on something so helpless is beyond my comprehension. The flip side is that there are so many more people who love and care for their precious ones--that is obvious from the wonderful people on this forum. Interacting with the folks here is definitely one of the bright spots in my day. |
05-19-2005, 04:29 AM | #3 |
Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member | Hmmm...most of the awful stories I've heard... the people never even GOT jail time - maybe there is a little justice for these poor animals - that is so sick ...those poor kittys. |
05-19-2005, 05:01 AM | #4 |
YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Arizona
Posts: 257
| That is good that he got put in jail for it! I honestly think they need to start taking animal abuse A LOT more serious!!! I believe ANYONE who abuses an animal should have to same punishment as they would if they abused a human or worse! That is a serious matter, and it shouldn't be taken lightly. People that abuse any animal are cruel and hatred people, and it breaks my heart to think about just how many people do these kinds of things and GET BY WITH IT! It's so sad! Thank you for sharing that story with us, even though I hate hearing about things like this, but it has a good ending, the man is in jail for it!
__________________ Melanie Proud US Marine wife & future Yorkie mommy |
05-19-2005, 05:03 AM | #5 |
Yorkie Kisses are the Best! Donating Member | It really is a big step - most abuse cases are misdomeaners and a slap on the wrist - lots of killers formerly... or still DO abuse animals and if the courts took a greater stand on animal abuse - there wouldn't be so much of it. |
05-19-2005, 05:07 AM | #6 |
YT Addict Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Arizona
Posts: 257
| I know, and I wish they would!
__________________ Melanie Proud US Marine wife & future Yorkie mommy |
05-19-2005, 05:59 AM | #7 |
YT 500 Club Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Brampton, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 689
| That is good to here that he was charged with jail time. There has to be stronger sentencing. I watch Miami Animal Police that I pick up on the satalite dish. The stories are shocking. Thank God for animal rescue and the police. There needs to be more of them to handle such a work load. It upsets me that there is such a need. |
05-19-2005, 07:28 AM | #8 |
YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Central NY state
Posts: 1,741
| Although I hardly think 2 years is equal to the pain that poor dog experienced, at least it's a step in the right direction. This is a big issue in my area. A man recently went into the Humane Society, stole a cat, and beat it to death. It was the most awful thing I've ever heard, and I couldn't even bring myself to read the articles on it. The Humane Society brought a couple of charges against the man, and is working hard to get him some time. You would think that the law would be a little tougher on people who do cruel things like this. Don't most serial killers start out by abusing animals?? Either way, a person who is able to maliciously hurt an animal should not be walking the streets- who knows what they are capable of?? |
05-19-2005, 07:39 AM | #9 | |
YT Addict Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 367
| Quote:
I also agree with your question of "who knows what they are capable of?" We already know that some of these people turn into killers--that alone should be enought to get the attention of legislators. It can be very difficult for us, as pet lovers, to see light at the end of the tunnel with this problem. Is anyone on this forum from a state that has taken a hard stance with its laws concerning animal abusers? | |
05-19-2005, 07:48 AM | #10 |
Donating YT 500 Club Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arkansas
Posts: 972
| that is sooo good to hear. i'm so tired of hearing stories about animal cruelty and nothing happens to them other than a slap on the wrist. they should throw him in jail and tape his mouth shut for a few days!!! |
05-19-2005, 08:38 AM | #11 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 106
| I used to work in the criminal defense field for juveniles - people who mistreat animals have very disturbing issues & often turn out to be some of the most violent offenders there are. |
05-19-2005, 09:22 AM | #12 |
Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: May 2005 Location: Florida
Posts: 148
| yay hank god he got jail time! if anyoe so much as TUCHED my baby lucie in a bad way i would be so mad! the poor dogie! this man has issues! if he tapes a dogs mouth shut, what else is he cappable of? answer: alot!!!!!!!!!! |
05-19-2005, 09:28 AM | #13 |
YT 6000 Club Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 6,238
| Here's a news article about it: --- DENTON, TX – The man who taped a 1-year-old black Labrador retriever's mouth shut in July, causing the dog's death from heatstroke, will serve two years in state jail, a Denton County jury decided Wednesday. "What he did was an unbelievably cruel act, and he deserved to be punished," lead prosecutor Tony Paul said after the trial. Richard Swift, 43, of The Colony was convicted Wednesday morning of animal cruelty. Jurors decided on the maximum jail sentence allowed and fined him $5,000, half the maximum. Some jurors said the crime combined with Mr. Swift's six previous criminal convictions – including manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and assault causing bodily injury – played a role in their decision. "In the past, he's been given numerous chances to rehabilitate himself," juror Jon Burkhart said. Mr. Swift was not eligible for probation because he once had probation revoked after he tested positive for marijuana and cocaine, prosecutors told jurors. Derek Adame, Mr. Swift's attorney, said he was let down by the verdict and sentencing. "You're always disappointed when things don't go your way," Mr. Adame said. "But I understand what they did and why they did it." During his closing arguments, Mr. Adame conceded that Mr. Swift caused the death of the dog, Bull, but said that it was not intentional. "You can say, 'How dare you do something this stupid?' but what you'll never be able to do is say beyond a reasonable doubt, 'You intended and knew you were torturing a dog,' " Mr. Adame said. Rodney Swift, Richard's younger brother and the dog's owner, did not agree with the jury. "I think it's wrong," Rodney Swift said. "I don't think all of the truth has come out." He declined to comment further. Rodney Swift was the only witness to testify for the defense in the three-day trial. On the stand, he described his brother as a lifelong animal lover and owner who would never intentionally hurt a dog. The prosecution called seven witnesses, most of whom saw Bull the day of the incident. They described a semi-conscious dog so overcome with heat exhaustion that he could not move, respond to commands or drink water. Mr. Swift laughed, sighed and shook his head repeatedly during the prosecution's opening statements and testimony from prosecution witnesses. After the prosecution objected to his behavior, 367th District Court Judge Lee Gabriel admonished Mr. Swift outside the jury's presence. "If you choose to act that way, you will only hurt yourself," Judge Gabriel said. "You've done it from the very first witness to the last witness." Jurors noticed his behavior. Mr. Burkhart said it was one of the factors he weighed in the verdict and sentencing. "He almost seemed like he was trying to intimidate some of the witnesses," he said. The incident last summer garnered national media attention and criticism from animal protection groups. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Denton County district attorney's office received hundreds of letters and e-mails about the case. It took jurors about 40 minutes to reach a verdict and 90 minutes to decide on the sentence. Mr. Adame, the defense attorney, said the real victim in the case was Rodney Swift. "Obviously, in my opinion, I would have liked for them to give greater weight to his brother's position," he said. "He loses his dog and he loses his brother. I wish they had taken that into consideration." http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw...28817cd6c.html |
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