Dog-fighting - 14 dogs seized, officer charged
Memphis, TN (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Aug 6, 2009
County: Shelby
Disposition: Alleged
Alleged: Jamario Taylor
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Memphis Police OCU raided Jamario Taylor's Whitehaven home Thursday acting on a tip. Cops say the dogs weren't just underfed -- they were abused, then patched up to fight another day.
The 14 dogs were taken to Memphis Animal Services where they still caked in mud, covered in bite marks and starving from abuse and neglect. Despite what they've been through, the pitbulls appear to be mild-tempered. In fact, most shiver at the site of people.
Neighbors began to worry after seeing malnourished dogs with bloody, cropped ears that appeared to be freshly stitched. On the outside, 5254 Whitworth seems like a dog-haven, but inside, police found the tools of dog-fighters. Of the 14 dogs, records show "12 were malnourished to the point their ribs were protruding" and "six had wounds that appeared to be caused by animal bites." Detectives found "a dog treadmill, a bait chain(wrapped in animal skin)" and a stick inscribed with the words "screw PETA". Cops also found "mattresses and carpet stained with what appeared to be blood".
"That mattress did not have anything to do with the dogs, none whatsoever," says family friend Ketha Pruitt. She says Jamario Taylor and Franchesca Morgan have had the dogs for years. "They love their dogs so it's just surprising that they were coming to take their dogs away -- especially kids just really sad -- that's their pets you know."
Police also found dog-fighting magazines, muscle-building supplements, and medicine to treat wounds. Taylor was a sheriff's deputy in charge of checking on inmates since 2005. His personnel file shows he's never had serious trouble. Deputy Taylor is on paid leave while authorities investigate.
Case UpdatesA corrections deputy accused of dog fighting and animal abuse denied on Friday that he fights the 14 pit bulls taken from his Whitehaven home.
Jamario Taylor, 30, and Franchesca Morgan, 36, were arrested Thursday when Memphis police officers investigated a complaint at 5254 Whitworth and found the dogs either in the house or chained in the back yard.
Taylor and Morgan were charged with a dozen counts of cruelty to animals, 14 counts of keeping an unvaccinated dog and one count of animal fighting.
"I am not a dog fighter," Taylor said Friday evening. "They want to stereotype anyone with pit bulls as a drug dealer or dog fighter."
According to a police affidavit, a dozen of the dogs appeared to be malnourished, others were chained so that they were standing in mud several inches deep, and six had what appeared to be bite wounds.
Detectives also found a dog treadmill, weight sled, mattresses that appeared to be blood-stained, and break sticks, which are used to pry fighting dogs apart.
One of the sticks was inscribed "Screw PETA," apparently a reference to the animal rights group. Four dog fighting magazines were also found.
Standing outside his house, Taylor said he raises pit bulls and enters them in dog shows. He said he has been showing dogs since 2003 and showed off several trophies and ribbons. He also had a magazine that pictured him with a prize-winning pit bull on the cover.
"I don't have vicious dogs," he said.
Taylor also denied that any of his dogs were malnourished. He said the treadmill and weight sled were used to strengthen his dogs for shows.
The blood on the mattress was from his dogs, Taylor said, explaining that on Thursday he broke up a fight between two dogs, got blood on his hands and accidentally wiped the blood on the mattress.
"(The dogs) are part of our family," Taylor said. "They live in the house and they sleep in the bed with us."
Neither Taylor nor Morgan could supply documentation that the 14 dogs had been vaccinated.
Taylor has been a jailer since 2005. He has been relieved with pay, pending an investigation.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Office will begin its own investigation to determine if any departmental policies were violated, said spokesman Steve Shular.
Taylor has had several disciplinary infractions since he joined the department for paperwork and attendance issues and not being in proper uniform when arriving for work, Shular said.
Morgan and Taylor have each posted $10,000 bond.
A police spokeswoman said she didn't know what connection the suspects had to each other. | Source: Commercial Appeal - Aug 8, 2009
Update posted on Aug 10, 2009 - 12:06AM |
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