Dog choked, strangled, attacked with axe
Los Angeles, CA (US)

Incident Date: Thursday, Mar 13, 2008
County: Los Angeles

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Rudy Fernandez

A Los Angeles man was charged Monday [March 17, 2008] with animal cruelty for allegedly using an ax to kill his brother's dog, which had been barking.

Rudy Fernandez, 36, pleaded not guilty this afternoon [March 18, 2007] to the felony count, which includes the allegation that he personally used a dangerous weapon -- the ax.

Fernandez was caring for the basset hound for his brother, who is incarcerated, according to Jeff Fischer of the Los Angeles Police Department's Animal Cruelty Task Force.

Fernandez allegedly tried -- without success -- to strangle the dog for roughly 30 minutes -- first with his hand and then by pinning the animal to the ground with his feet and placing a wood fencepost to its neck, according to Fischer. He then allegedly used the ax to inflict the fatal blow, fracturing the dog's skull.

Officers with the LAPD's Newton Division found the bloodied dog -- named in the criminal complaint as Samantha -- when they responded to an animal cruelty investigation last Thursday.

Fernandez was arrested late Thursday, and was being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.

He is due back in court March 27 for a hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to require him to stand trial.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of four years in state prison.

References

Daily Breeze - March 18, 2008

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