Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Tommy Chambers | | Judge(s): | Don Taylor |
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 #16538 Rating: 2.0 out of 5
Dog thrown into river
Liberty, TX (US)Incident Date: Friday, Sep 10, 2010
County: Liberty
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Shane Eugene Rushing
Case Updates: 3 update(s) available
On Friday, September 10, a dog that was thrown into the Trinity River near US 90 in Liberty was fortunate to be rescued by law enforcement officers.
His rescue came after Liberty Police Department (LPD) received a 911 call that advised that a dog had been thrown off the Trinity River Bridge. The caller had witnessed two white males in a white Ford F-150 truck who stopped on the eastbound side of the bridge. The driver got out of the truck, then threw a dog from the bridge.
According to LPD, the caller followed the truck to the Panther Stop convenience store in Liberty, where the caller confronted the driver.
When asked why he did it, the man who threw the dog in the water allegedly said he was tired of the dog getting into his garbage. The driver then fled into Liberty, heading north on Main St.
LPD Animal Control Officer (ACO) Tammy Bishop went to the Trinity River to see if she could find the dog. When she went down to the river bank, she was surprised to find the dog had apparently swam to a small island in the middle of the river.
Bishop contacted local Game Warden Adam Brall to assist with a boat and attempt to rescue the dog.
While the island was mostly a small, rocky outcrop with no sure footing, Bishop and Brall were able to successfully coax the dog into the boat.
Once on shore, Bishop examined the scared dog and it appeared to be uninjured. Bishop then brought the dog back to the Liberty Animal Shelter for proper care.
ACO Bishop said the dog is possibly a Boxer/Pit mix, white coat, with subdued black freckles on his nose. He was wearing a blue nylon collar. Anyone having information on the dog can contact ACO Bishop at 936-336-5666.
LPD is investigating the animal cruelty incident. Anyone with information on the identity of the men in the white F-150 truck can contact investigators at the same phone number.
Case UpdatesAs you may recall i-dineout.com reported on the abuse of River the dog. He was the dog that was thrown off the Trinity River Bridge in Liberty by his owner Shane Rushing. Rushing was arrest and charged and went to trial. He was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to jail time and a fine.
i-dineout.com also reported on what happened to River and the fact that he was adopted by a couple in Hull, TX who have discovered that River suffers from distemper, a disease easily prevented by common vaccination.
Today some one sent in the following FEEDBACAK REPLY, "Regarding SHANE RUSHING: Word on the street is that his case is being DROPPED and so is his probation. Citizens in Liberty County need to flood the Probation Office with calls and letters protesting this latest action against Shane Rushing."
We are happy to report that this FEEDBACK REPLY is in error.
Mr. Rushing did go to jail and although he represented himself at this trial, has decided to appeal his conviction.
An appeal bond was set and Mr. Rushing made bond and has been released pending his appeal according to Prosecutor Tommy Chambers of the Liberty County Attorney's Office. | Source: i-dineout.com - Dec 9, 2010
Update posted on May 28, 2011 - 12:15AM |
Monday Shane Rushing age 43 of Dayton was convicted of Cruelty to Animals, a Class A Misdemeanor in The County Court at Law, Judge Don Taylor's Court.
You may recall our story of September 14, 2010 when we reported that Rushing had been arrested for throwing his dog off the Trinity River Bridge on US 90 in Liberty.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant County Attorney, Tommy Chambers who told i-dineout.com that Animal Control Officer Tammy Bishop escorted the dog into the courtroom as one piece of evidence in the trial.
Chambers also told i-dineout.com that Rushing did not have an attorney and represented himself at trial.
A jury found Rushing guilty and he was sentenced to 180 days in Jail and a $4,000 dollar fine. | Source: i-dineout.com - Nov 16, 2010
Update posted on May 28, 2011 - 12:03AM |
A small Texas town is outraged after learning a man has been accused of throwing his dog into the Trinity River in Liberty County.
Shane Eugene Rushing, 44, was charged with animal cruelty, a Class A misdemeanor.
Liberty police said Rushing tossed the 6-month-old dog over the Highway 90 bridge on Saturday morning.
The dog fell 50 feet and survived, officials said. Animal control officers rescued the dog after it swam to a nearby island of rocks, police said.
A witness called 911 after she saw the dog thrown over the bridge.
"Did you get the license plate number?" the 911 operator asked.
"Yeah, I wrote it down and it's an F-150 truck," the caller said.
Rushing told police he owns the dog and the dog kept eating his trash.
"That's no excuse. Take the dog to a shelter. Don't throw a dog off a bridge," Liberty resident Michael Martin said. "It's a little, poor defenseless animal. The dog really can't fight back."
"I think it's horrible. I couldn't do an animal like that," Liberty resident Ethel Baldwin said.
The dog, now known as Lucky, is at the Liberty Animal Shelter. It was not injured after the incident.
Police said they have received calls from dozens of people wanting to adopt the dog.
Rushing has a police record in Texas and Florida, including indecency with a child in 1999, aggravated theft in 1990 and grand theft of a motor vehicle in 1997. | Source: Click2Houston - Sept 15, 2010
Update posted on Oct 17, 2010 - 5:31PM |
References |
