Case Snapshot
Case ID: 3061
Classification: Mutilation/Torture, Fighting
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
More cases in Philadelphia County, PA
More cases in PA
Login to Watch this Case

New features are coming soon. Login with Facebook to get an early start and help us test them out!



For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.


CONVICTED: Was justice served?

Please vote on whether or not you feel the sentence in this case was appropriate for the crime. (Be sure to read the entire case and sentencing before voting.)

weak sentence = one star
strong sentence = 5 stars

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 #3061 Rating: 3.3 out of 5



Thursday, Jun 30, 1994

County: Philadelphia

Disposition: Convicted

Defendants/Suspects:
» Jason Tapper
» Roy A. Elliott
» Jan Pyatt

Jason Tapper, 21, Roy A. Elliott, 21, guilty of cruelty to animals and of conspiracy of cruelty to animals. Jan Pyatt, 23, was found guilty of conspiracy but not guilty of cruelty.

Tapper and Elliott tied the dalmatian dog to a tree, taped its mouth shut, and let Pyatt's pit bull attack it. When the pit bull could not kill Duke, Tapper crushed Duke's skull with cinder blocks, slit its throat and belly open, and cut its tail and ears off while the dog was still alive.

Judge Biester Jr sentenced the men according to their involvement in the mutilation of Duke: Pyatt got the least amount of time - six to 23 months; Elliott was sentenced to nine to 21 months, and Tapper received 1-1/2 to three years.

References

  • The Philadelphia Inquirer - March 11, 1995

« PA State Animal Cruelty Map
« More cases in Philadelphia County, PA

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.