Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | Raj Prasad | | Defense(s): | Marchelle Falconer-Costa, Earl Washington | | Judge(s): | Cynthia Gray Hathaway |
Dog set on fire, videotaped
Detroit, MI (US)Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 25, 2010
County: Wayne
Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Kristian Dennard Jackson
» Decarlos Lashawn Young
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
Two men were arraigned today on animal torture charges in Wayne County Circuit Court for what a veteran Humane Society investigator says is one of the most gruesome crimes he's ever seen.
The evidence: A cell phone video recording of a dog being burned to death.
"I've found dogs who were burned to death, too many of them in fact," said Mark Ramos, a senior cruelty investigator with the Michigan Humane Society. "But in 16 years, this video of it actually happening was probably the most horrific thing I've ever seen."
Kristian Dennard Jackson, 20, and Decarlos LashawnYoung, 23, both of Detroit, are charged with animal killing/torture and arson of personal property, crimes that carry penalties of up to four years in prison. Authorities allege they doused a pit bull with a flammable liquid in August and set the animal on fire.
The Aug. 25 incident was captured by an onlooker with a cell phone video recorder.
In the one-minute video, Ramos said, the 1- to 2-year-old female dog is shown being set on fire. The animal howls in agony, frantically dashes around then drops over dead, Ramos said.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Raj Parsad said Jackson doused the dog in lighter fluid before setting it ablaze. He said Young poured gasoline on the animal.
"On the video, you see Mr. Jackson running after the dog as it screamed in pain, running and trying to get the fire off of it, and he's laughing and filming it with his own camera," Parsad said.
Whether the onlooker's recording is ever publicly released may depend on whether Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway allows it to be introduced as evidence if the case comes to trial. Due to its emotional impact, the recording may be seen as more prejudicial than useful when viewed by a jury.
Hathaway set a Dec. 1 disposition conference to determine if a trial is needed or if Jackson and Young will plead guilty. The judge entered not-guilty pleas for both today.
Hathaway declined an offer from the prosecutor to watch the video today, saying it would be inappropriate at this point.
"As judges, we are to take all of the sensationalism of it and still be objective," Hathaway said. "If everything you say is true and those facts come out in the courtroom, the facts of this case are horrible. But, they should come out in proper order."
Both defendants are being held in jail for violating probation for prior convictions of marijuana possession. Young also has been convicted of child abuse. No date has been set for a trial.
The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has declined to release the video or the numerous still photo "frame captures" investigators used to help identify the alleged perpetrators and witnesses. Assistant Prosecutor Maria Miller, spokeswoman for the office, said it would be improper to release evidence before it is presented in court.
The prosecution has said it hasn't offered the two any deals to plead guilty and avoid trial. Prasad told the judge that he would be asking for an upward departure from sentencing guidelines if the two are eventually convicted.
Influenced by their past criminal records, sentencing guidelines indicate Jackson would face between 12 and 13 months in jail and Young would face 17 to 25 months.
"The facts of this crime are the most heinous possible," Prasad said. "This was not neglect. The cruelty done on this animal was for perverse pleasure."
The judge said the potential sentences seem low considering the nature of the allegations, but it is her duty to follow the law.
"If a legislator asked me what I thought, I would say the sentence for this crime is too low, but it is what it is and judges are obliged to follow the law."
It is unclear to investigators whether the dog was killed because it had a severe infestation of fleas or because it had failed to live up to its potential as a fighting dog. Investigators said the animal was set ablaze after a failed effort to kill it by hanging.
Ramos said the voices of Jackson and Young were captured on the recording, talking about the dog's fleas.
Although animal cruelty investigators were told of the incident in August by shocked bystanders, the dog's body was never found. Investigators found the charred spot were the animal allegedly was killed, but they believe the remains were disposed of with trash.
Ramos said he has no evidence the animal had been trained to fight. But killing dogs who fail in the ring is common, according to the Animal Defense Fund, a national animal rights group that is tracking the Detroit case.
"The Animal Legal Defense Fund receives dozens of calls every month from citizens fed up with the scourge of dogfighting in their communities," said Scott Heiser, the organization's Portland, Ore.-based criminal justice director.
Case UpdatesTwo men pleaded guilty today to animal torture and arson charges stemming from the August burning death of a dog.
The incident was captured on a cell phone video that prosecutors say showed one of the men laughing while the dog howled in agony.
Kristian Dennard Jackson, 20, and Decarlos Lashawn Young, 23, will be sentenced to prison terms on Dec. 16 by Wayne County Circuit Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway.
The judge accepted guilty pleas from both men today to charges of animal torture and arson of personal property with a value of more than $200. The Aug. 25 incident was captured by an onlooker with a cell phone video recorder. Authorities said they never found the body of the 1- to-2-year-old female pit bull, but collected the video and numerous witness accounts from outraged witnesses. The men apparently set fire to the dog due to a severe infestation of fleas. They had earlier attempted to hang the animal.
Both men are three-time felony offenders with prior drug convictions. Young, who was on probation for a child abuse conviction, also pleaded guilty today to yet another marijuana possession charge. Pending a presentence report that could change the terms of the plea-bargain, the agreement calls for Young to receive a sentence of 17 months to 8 years. Jackson will get a sentence of 13 months to 8 years.
"We are very pleased they plead guilty," said Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Amy Slameka, who added that her office received messages about the case from throughout the world. "I have letters from India and Germany and from throughout the country. The severity of this crime reached far and wide.
"Most people wanted to know what they could do. I've told them to write to your legislators and ask for stiffer penalties. People were surprised this is only a four-year felony for pouring gasoline on a tethered dog and watching it burn and suffer until it died." | Source: detnews.com - Dec 1, 2010
Update posted on Dec 1, 2010 - 9:44PM |
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