CONVICTED: Was justice served?
more information on voting
When you vote, you are voting on whether or not the punishment fit the crime, NOT on the severity of the case itself. If you feel the sentence was very weak, you would vote 1 star. If you feel the sentence was very strong, you would vote 5 stars.
Please vote honestly and realistically. These ratings will be used a a tool for many future programs, including a "People’s Choice" of best and worst sentencing, DA and judge "report cards", and more. Try to resist the temptation to vote 1 star on every case, even if you feel that 100 years in prison isn’t enough.
Case #10676 Rating: 3.8 out of 5
Puppy repeatedly beaten against tree
Durham, NC (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Jan 10, 2007
County: Durham
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Drexel Earl Gornto, Jr.
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
A 52-year-old Durham man was arrested for felony abuse of a 4-month-old puppy Wednesday, according to warrants.
Drexel Earl Gornto Jr., of 2624 Alston Ave., allegedly threw "a pit-bull puppy against a tree several times while holding onto the puppy by the scruff of the neck," warrants said.
Animal control officers arrested Gornto. No mention was made in warrants of the condition of the puppy.
Gornto was charged with felony cruelty to animals and released on $1,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Durham County District Court.
Case Updates| On May 11, Drexel Earl Gornto Jr. became the first person ever convicted of felonious animal cruelty in Durham for something other than staging a dogfight. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 3 years probation. He was also ordered to undergo a psychological examination, complete counseling, and pay restitution to the local animal shelter. As part of his probation, he is prohibited from owning, possessing, or caring for any animals. | Source: Durham County Case # 07CR40279
Update posted on Jun 4, 2007 - 2:58PM |
| Drexel Earl Gornto, Jr. will appear in court to face animal cruelty charges on March 5, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. at the Durham County Courthouse, located at 201 E. Main St., Durham, NC 27701. | Source: Docket # 07CR40279
Update posted on Feb 6, 2007 - 11:05PM |
As part of an ongoing effort to protect four-legged crime victims, the Durham District Attorney's Office is expected this week to seek its first-ever felonious animal-cruelty indictment for an offense other than staging a dog fight.
The case in question has prosecutors and animal-control officials howling for justice.
Drexel Earl Gornto Jr. is accused of maliciously and repeatedly throwing a 4-month-old boxer-mix puppy against a tree while holding it by the scruff of its neck. The dog, renamed Watson by staff members at the county animal shelter, suffered various bone fractures.
An eyewitness reported the incident to authorities.
A statement on the Animal Protection Society of Durham's Web site says that "it's hard to tell whether Watson will have any future complications as a result of his injuries ... But we do know this little guy so much deserves to find a home where he'll be able to make up for his very rough start in life."
The Web site says that Watson "is eager to run around and play as if nothing had happened."
Assistant District Attorney Jan Paul, who runs a local family-protection unit, suggested last week that felony prosecution of such cases might deter violence against humans and four-footed creatures alike.
"There has been a proven nexus between individuals who engage in cruelty to animals and people who commit crimes against humans, particularly assaults and murders," Paul said. "We consider cruelty against animals to be a red flag for possible human violence."
Paul noted, for example, that convicted serial killer David Berkowitz -- notoriously known as the "Son of Sam" -- had also shot a neighbor's dog.
"Anyone who can view an animal's life as worthless might convince himself that a human life was equally worthless," Paul said.
Before a relatively recent change in the law, animal-cruelty cases could be handled only as misdemeanors and generally resulted in nothing more than probation.
Now prosecutors can seek low-level felony convictions with a presumptively fair sentence of six to eight months in prison, even for those with no past criminal records.
There is an important catch, however.
To obtain a felony conviction, prosecutors must prove malice -- something that generally requires an eyewitness to the crime.
Lt. Melinda Duarte of the county Animal Control Department said that the sought-after felony indictment against Gornto would be a first for Durham, with the exception of a few rare dog fighting cases.
"In the past, it was just misdemeanor cruelty all around," she said. "But now, we can go for a felony if we think an act was malicious, meaning it was done out of spite or ill will. We have to have witnesses, though. Without them, we're just kind of guessing. We might have an injured animal and think someone beat it, but we can't prove it unless someone saw it and is willing to say so."
However, many witnesses insist on remaining anonymous and are unavailable to testify in court, according to Duarte.
"It's a big deal when we find someone who isn't afraid to testify," she said. | Source: Herald Sun - Feb 3, 2007
Update posted on Feb 5, 2007 - 1:41AM |
References« NC State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Durham County, NC
|
