Two dogs badly beaten, skull fractured - Lexington, VA

Saturday, Sep 30, 2006

County: Rockbridge

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted

Defendant/Suspect: Robert J. Carini

Case Updates: 6 update(s) available

Lexington police charged a man under the Virginia T-Bone Law with felony animal abuse for allegedly hitting one dog so hard it fractured its skull in at least three places. Police believe he treated another so badly, one of its eyes popped out of its socket.

Robert Carini was in the Rockbridge Regional Jail as of late March 1 night. He is charged with two counts of felony animal abuse which caused a veterinarian to euthanize both animals.

Police said in court records both dogs belonged to Carini's girlfriend, who has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the case.

Lexington-area vet, Dr. Martha Tubman, saw the first dog, a Chihuahua, last October.

She said the dog, a female, couldn't stand by herself, was covered in her own feces and urine, and had one eye hanging from its socket.

Dr. Tubman said it looked as if the eye had been that way for at least 24 hours.

She said the dog lived in a crate with minimal food and water.

"The water that was in the cage," Dr. Tubman said, "I guess from the trauma to the eye was a bloody slim. It was the most disgusting thing."

Tubman said she had to put down the second dog on February 24th after police brought it, also a female chihuahua, to her office in a coma.

The second dog's x-rays are the ones shown below.

Lexington police chief Steve Crowder said his animal control officer didn't have enough evidence to arrest Carini for abusing the first dog last October.

Carini is due in Rockbridge County General District Court on March 30th.

Living in Virginia since 1991, court records show he has prior criminal record of two assault charges from New Jersey in 1999.

Case Updates

Although this defendant has been sentenced, officials may still benefit from receiving community feedback regarding the outcome of the case. Prosecutor: The Honorable Robert Joyce, Commonwealth Attorney 17 Court House Square Lexington, VA 24450 Phone: 540-463-7337 Fax: 540-463-6628 Judge: The Honorable Michael S. Irvine Rockbridge Circuit Court 25th Judicial Circuit of CA 2 South Main Street Lexington, VA 24450 Phone: 540-463-2232 Fax: 540-463-3850 Tips for Effective Letter Writing

Update posted on Nov 8, 2007 - 12:36PM

The maximum penalty for two felony counts of animal abuse was imposed on Robert J. Carini on September 20 in Rockbridge County Circuit Court. Judge Michael Irvine sentenced Carini to five years on each count, to be served consecutively, with three years to be served in the state penitentiary and the remaining seven years suspended. In handing down his sentence, Irvine acknowledged Carini's history of "serious mental disorders,' but cited the need to punish Carini for his crime, protect society and to get help for Carini for his emotional disorders. Irvine said he would ask that Carini receive mental health treatment during his period of incarceration. Carini was arrested by Lexington police in February after being called to the R.E. Lee Building to pick up a dying dog that police found lying unconscious in feces and urine and with its eyes bulging out of its head. Police had picked up a dog in a similar condition at the same location late last year but had not been able to make an arrest in the crime because of the lack of any corroborating testimony linking Carini to the crime. Carini pled guilty to both crimes in June. Carini testified at the sentencing in a high and timid voice. He persistently claimed he believed he should be given the death penalty for his crime even after Commonwealth's Attorney Robert Joyce said this would obviously not be the case. Carini blamed his actions on "displaced anger." Carini had been hospitalized in the past for various mental illnesses. Carini had a criminal record, but no previous cruelty charges. He denied having ever done anything similar to animals when questioned by Joyce. Joyce specifically referenced two rabbits allegedly owned by Carini while he was residing at the R.E. Lee Building. The rabbits had died, according to information gathered by Lexington police from Carini's neighbors. Carini denied having hurt the rabbits. The animal abuse case attracted nationwide attention from animal rights groups. Joyce commented that he had received more letters and e-mails about this case than any other since becoming a prosecutor.

Source: The Lexington News-Gazette - Sep 20, 2007 Update posted on Oct 3, 2007 - 5:13PM

On June 4, 2007, Robert Carini pled guilty as charged to two felony counts of animal cruelty, according to court records. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 20th at 10:30 a.m. in Rockbridge Circuit Court.

Source: Case # CR07-000146 and 000147 Update posted on Jun 5, 2007 - 1:54PM

Robert J. Carini appeared in Rockbridge Circuit court on May 7. Carini faces two felony counts of animal cruelty stemming from an incident last fall, when he allegedly hit his girlfriend's dog so hard it fractured its skull in at least three places. Police believe he abused her other dog another so badly, one of its eyes popped out of its socket. Carini is scheduled for trial on June 4 at 2:00 p.m.

Source: Case # CR07-000146 and 000147 Update posted on May 8, 2007 - 1:32PM

Robert J. Carini will appear in Rockbridge Circuit court to face two felony counts of animal cruelty on May 7 at 9:30 a.m. Carini was charged as the result of an incident last October, when he allegedly hit one dog so hard it fractured its skull in at least three places. Police believe he treated another so badly, one of its eyes popped out of its socket. Both dogs belonged to Carini's girlfriend, who has been cleared of any wrongdoing in the case.

Source: Case # CR07-000146 and 000147 Update posted on Apr 21, 2007 - 8:10PM

Robert Carini of 30 S. Main St., Lexington, now has much more to worry about as he enjoys the comforts of the Rockbridge Regional Jail: the misdemeanor animal cruelty charges levelled against him last week by the Lexington Police Department were dropped and in their place, felony animal cruelty charges were initiated. The reasoning behind this move, according to Lexington Animal Control officer Chuck Hurley was that the animals allegedly injured by Carini, one dog last October and one in March, both had to be euthanized. After Hurley spoke with the Commonwealth Attorney on the matter, it was decided that Carini be charged with Class 6 felonies, which carry a more significant potential penalty. He now faces 1-5 years in jail and a $2500 fine on each charge. Carini was re-arrested by the Lexington Police Department on the new charges and faces a trial date of April 17th in Rockbridge General District Court at 2 p.m., an event which is bound to have a significant audience.

Source: Rockbridge Weekly - March 2, 2007 Update posted on Mar 29, 2007 - 5:40PM

References

• WSLS - March 1, 2007

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