Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Peter Deuel |
Images for this Case
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 #13781 Rating: 2.3 out of 5
Dog-fighting recorded on videotape
Culver, OR (US)Incident Date: Friday, Sep 1, 2006
County: Jefferson
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Erin Mansfield
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A dogfighting incident, recorded on videotape in 2006, has resulted in a felony citation nearly a year and a half later.
Erin Mansfield, 24, of Redmond, was in the Deschutes County Jail on an unrelated charge when she was located by a Jefferson County sheriff's deputy and cited for the September, 2006, incident.
According to Jim Adkins, undersheriff, Mansfield was living in a house off U.S. Highway 97 south of Culver at the time, and officers were investigating the report of a dogfight.
"During the investigation, we found a dog on her property that she was medicating," Adkins said. "We got there at noon or so, and the previous evening, the dog had been fought with another dog and sustained injuries."
Several other pit bulls and items associated with dogfighting were located there and at a nearby home. Those items included treadmills used for conditioning the dogs, heavy chains to strengthen the dogs' necks, and break sticks for breaking up fights.
Police also found a videotape of a dogfight, which showed Mansfield and others, but no one was arrested at the time.
Deputies seized the dogs -- which Adkins said had scarring likely caused by fighting -- and took some to the Jefferson County Kennels and others to the Redmond Humane Society.
Rene Davidson of Jefferson County Animal Control took six of the dogs back to the Madras kennels, and Carl Quigley, formerly of the Redmond Humane Society, took eight dogs.
"The ones that we took were covered in scars," said Davidson, who immediately thought that the dogs had been fought. "You can tell the way the scarring was on the front legs and on the ears. All of them were on logging chains -- to bulk up the dogs."
The dogs were kept at the kennels for several months, she said, and were very friendly with people, but exhibited "dog-on-dog aggression."
Eventually, Adkins said, "They were put down. You can't possess or adopt out fighting dogs because of their aggressive behavior."
Before the dogs were euthanized, one of the dogs dug out of the kennel, and attacked another through a chain link fence. The dog that started the fight "had its nose shredded," Adkins said, "and had to be immediately put down."
The investigation into the incident, which Adkins believes is part of a much larger problem, is continuing. "This thing could spread into Idaho, Nevada, Western Oregon and Washington," he said.
Since taking those dogs into custody, Davidson said, "We've had random pits come in here and there with the same kind of scarring. I don't know where they're coming from."
She believes that dogfighting is a continuing problem in this area. "We have a huge pit population here," she said.
Steve Leriche, chief deputy district attorney, said that both keeping dogs for the purpose of dogfighting, or maintaining a location for the purpose of dogfighting are both Class C felonies, punishable by up to five years in jail and a $125,000 fine.
Mansfield will be arraigned on the charges at 9:15 a.m. May 29, in the Jefferson County Circuit Court.
Case UpdatesA former Culver woman has pleaded guilty to providing a garage for a dogfighting arena and has agreed to testify against others.
Erin Mansfield, now of Redmond, was charged with a felony two years after Jefferson County authorities found a pit bull with a ripped nose and ears. She was sentenced to three years of probation and fined $107.
Jefferson County District Attorney Peter Deuel says he expects others will be charged but could not say when.
About 15 dogs with scars consistent with dogfighting have been found in the county and euthanized. Investigators say other states may be involved. | Source: KTVZ - Sept 18, 2008
Update posted on Sep 21, 2008 - 12:11PM |
References« OR State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Jefferson County, OR
|
