Dog shot, resulting in death
West Valley City, UT (US)Incident Date: Monday, Sep 10, 2007
County: Salt Lake
Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony Non-CTA
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Gary Deloy Griffiths
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Multiple surgeries and nine days of recovery couldn't save the Pahl family's Pomeranian, allegedly shot by their neighbor on Sept. 10.
West Valley City police arrested Gary Deloy Griffiths, 60, that same day for pointing a .22-caliber rifle at Ryan Pahl and threatening to shoot him. Pahl had confronted Griffiths about shooting his 7-pound dog, "Ozzie," in front of his 3-year-old daughter, said Sgt. Bill Merritt.
"The dog's owner was eating lunch in his home when he hears a couple of loud popping noises and a dog whining," Merritt said.
Pahl walked outside and hopped the wooden fence separating the abutting properties. He found the dog alive, but seriously wounded.
Griffiths then pointed the gun at Pahl warning him to "be careful or you could be next," Merritt said.
While en route to a veterinarian, Pahl called police. As did Griffiths, who told investigators he shot the dog because it attacked his cat.
However, as police began their investigation they learned that Griffiths was known to remove sections of the fence to coax the small dog into his yard.
"[Pahl] said there was piles of dog food leading from the fence into the yard," Merritt said. "He thinks that's how he got through the fence."
Griffiths refused to comment about the incident when contacted at home Friday.
Police arrested Griffiths and booked him into the Salt Lake County jail on suspicion of discharging a firearm within city limits, a third-degree felony; aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; and reckless endangerment, a class A misdemeanor. Police added a misdemeanor charge animal cruelty against Griffiths after the dog was euthanized Thursday.
If convicted on all charges, he faces a maximum of 12 years in prison.
The shooting prompted outcries from animal activists, such as The Humane Society of Utah and the Utah Animal Adoption Center, which are calling for lawmakers to strengthen the state's animal cruelty laws.
"This is a bigger issue than just animal cruelty," said Gene Baierschmidt, director of the Humane Society. "Studies have shown there is a direct connection between animal cruelty and violence against people."
Currently, animal cruelty is a class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail. Cheryl Smith, director of the Adoption Center, said the crime should be a classified a felony.
"We are hopeful that if this case does nothing else, it serves to convince legislators that we need a felony animal cruelty charge in this state," Smith said.
"For a crime of violence, they should be charged with harsher crimes," she said. "This was an act of rage. Certainly a 7-pound dog was no threat to this man."
Police advise people to talk with their neighbors before tensions and bullets fly.
"I'd encourage people to work disputes out before they get infuriated and it gets to this point," Merritt said. "You have got to pick your battles."
Case UpdatesA man accused of killing his neighbor's dog died on Monday night, and neighbors suspect he may have taken his own life.
A Pomeranian named Ozzie died from a gun shot wound last year.
His owners wanted the man accused of shooting him to show some sign of remorse but Gary Deloy Griffiths died at his home in West Valley City before he could stand trial for animal cruelty.
"This person had obviously shown evidence that he had mental health issues was not only able to shoot the dog but to also threaten the owner," said animal activist Tamma Martin with the Utah Animal Adoption Center.
Current research shows a direct connection between animal cruelty and family violence. Researchers call it a red flag, where violence against pets usually translates into violence against people.
"People who get convicted of animal abuse usually have committed other violent crimes, "said Utah State University Professor Frank Aschione. "Research done in the U.S. shows a direct connection," he said. Aschione interviewed women at domestic shelters in Utah and found that 50 % of the women said their partners had killed their pet. "We don't know which comes first, but there is a definite link between animal cruelty and domestic violence," he said.
Last September 6- year old Gary Deloy Griffith told police he shot "Ozzie" with a 22-caliber rifle because the 7 pound Pomeranian attacked his cat. But police charged Griffiths with cruelty to animals and discharging a firearm inside the city.
Police found Griffith's body inside his home on Monday afternoon and said an autopsy will determine the cause of his death. The news came as a shock to Ozzie's owners who said they feared Griffiths might take revenge against them. "We are just glad he didn't hurt his wife or anyone else or come over to our house," said pet owner Malissa Pahl.
Temma Martin understands the connection between pets and violence. Martin tries to find homes for animals abandoned by their owners at the Utah Animal Adoption Center in Salt Lake City. Martin said people need to pay attention to those who show cruelty to animals. "School shooters, some of the most notorious killers have a long history of animal abuse and neighbors knew about it, but people don't take it seriously enough," Martin said.
Ozzie's owners said they regret Griffith's death, but wish he would have shown some remorse, and wish he could have dealt with his problems in a different way. "Look at the bigger picture and realize that a person capable of killing or torturing an animal is often capable of doing the same thing to a person," Martin said. | Source: ABC 4 - March 26, 2008
Update posted on Mar 26, 2008 - 8:58AM |
A 60-year-old West Valley City man was ordered Thursday to stand trial for fatally shooting a neighbor's dog, and then pointing the rifle at the dog's owner in September.
Gary Deloy Griffiths shot Ozzie, a year-old, 7-pound teacup Pomeranian, then threatened Ryan Pahl, according preliminary-hearing testimony in 3rd District Court.
Pahl struggled to hold back tears while recounting the events of Sept. 10, which resulted in the dog's death nine days later.
After hearing two gunshots, followed by the sound of a dog whimpering, Pahl testified he looked over his 6-foot backyard fence to see his bleeding dog leaning against Griffiths' home.
Pahl jumped the fence, landed in a rose bush and scrambled free to find himself "looking down the barrel of a rifle," he testified.
"Are you crazy?" Pahl recalled asking Griffiths, who said, "Yes."
And when Pahl asked why Griffiths had shot his dog, Griffiths replied, "Because he was in my yard."
Griffiths later told West Valley City Police Officer Ricardo Franco he shot the dog with a .22-caliber rifle because it had a neighborhood cat by the throat.
Griffiths added that he pointed the rifle "toward" Pahl, but not "at him" because Pahl was "being aggressive" and because he "felt threatened," Franco testified.
Pahl testified he was angry, but denied acting aggressive toward Griffiths. He said his only thought was to grab his bloodied dog and get away from the gunman.
Shot in the jaw and abdomen, Ozzie underwent two surgeries and other efforts to save him, Pahl said. But at the suggestion of veterinarians, the dog was euthanized nine days after being shot.
Griffiths was charged with third-degree felony aggravated assault, class A misdemeanor aggravated cruelty to animals and class B misdemeanor discharge of a firearm within 600 feet of a dwelling.
Defense attorney Bevan Corry argued that Griffiths' actions toward Pahl did not rise to the level of aggravated assault. Corry also argued that Griffiths was justified in shooting the dog in defense of the cat.
Judge Judith Atherton, however, ordered Griffiths to stand trial on all three charges. The defendant was ordered to appear in court for a scheduling hearing on Dec. 14 before Judge Stephen Henriod.
Pahl told news reporters that Ozzie's slaying continues to haunt him, his wife and four children.
"What happened to Ozzie has shaken the core of our family," he said. "He didn't just shoot a dog, he altered six people's lives."
Pahl said he and his family are now afraid of what Griffiths might do next.
"What's to say he won't take it to the next step?" Pahl asked. "I haven't been in my backyard for three months."
Animal rights proponents who attended the hearing said the case is yet another example of why Utah needs harsher punishment for people who torture and kill animals.
The Animal Advocacy Alliance of Utah and HelpUsHelpThem.Org will both be pushing the 2008 Legislature to enact Henry's Law - which would make first-time animal torture a third-degree felony. Animal Advocacy Alliance executive director Ann Davis said Utah is one of only seven states that still treats animal cruelty as a misdemeanor.
The proposed law is named after Rhonda Kamper's black Chihuahua mix, Henry, who lost an eye and suffered burns when Kamper's now ex-husband chased the puppy with a leaf blower and put it in a 200-degree oven for five minutes at their Murray home last year.
For harming Henry, 36-year-old Marc Christopher Vincent was sentenced to six months in jail, fined and ordered to obtain a mental health evaluation. | Source: Salt Lake Tribune - Nov 30, 3007
Update posted on Nov 30, 2007 - 9:55PM |
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