Case Details


Case Snapshot
Case ID: 434
Classification: Bestiality
Animal: dog (non pit-bull)
More cases in Pima County, AZ
More cases in AZ
Login to Watch this Case

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


Attorneys/Judges
Defense(s): Dan Cooper
Judge(s): Theodore Knuck


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



Poodle sodomized with tree branch
Tucson, AZ (US)

Incident Date: Friday, Sep 20, 2002
County: Pima

Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Dismissed

Person of Interest: Chris Faw

Case Updates: 4 update(s) available

Investigators are trying to locate three adolescent boys between 12 and 14 years-old who they believe may be responsible for the attack of a male poodle.

The dog was in its' own fenced backyard in base housing.

Police say the animal suffered a severe injury to it's anus, after being mutilated by a tree branch. It was later euthanized.

Detective Mike Duffey, with the Pima County Sheriff's Office says even though the suspects in this case may be adolescents, they could be tried as an adult.

He adds, "I've already contacted the County Attorney on this case, and they are willing to pursue this as a felony case."

The maximum penalty for animal cruelty is five years in prison.

The investigation continues, and if you have any information regarding the case, you're asked to call 88-CRIME.


Case Updates

Pima County Sheriff's Department investigators accused Chris Faw, 14, of using a tree branch to sodomize Prince, a 7-year-old toy poodle, in September 2002. Prince was euthanized as a result of his injuries.

The poodle was mutilated while inside its fenced yard in the 6800 block of East Lightning Drive, a housing area on the Davis-Monthan Air Force base. Judge Theodore Knuck ruled to "suppress identification" of a female witness, age 9, and charges against the 14-year-old boy have been dropped "without prejudice," which means charges can be re-filed if more evidence is obtained.

Three teens are believed to have been involved in the attack, although Faw was the only one arrested.
Source: Tucson Weekly - June 12, 2009
Update posted on Aug 24, 2009 - 9:06PM 
The Pima County Attorney's Office could decide to dismiss the case after Judge Theodore Knuck ruled Monday to 'suppress identification' of the witness, age 9. The charge against the 14-year-old boy who allegedly molested a poodle may be dropped if the Pima County Attorney's Office decides to dismiss the case.

Authorities believe Chris Faw used a tree branch to sodomize Prince, a 7-year-old toy poodle. Prince was euthanized as a result of his injuries.

Pima County Juvenile Court Commissioner Theodore Knuck ruled Monday to "suppress identification" of the witness in the Sept. 20 incident at a home at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

A motion was filed in December to throw out the evidence from a 9-year-old girl who identified Faw as the one who allegedly committed the crime, Dan Cooper, Faw's attorney, said.

The girl testified that she looked at the clock at 3 p.m., looked out the window and saw him, he said. "That's important because my client was getting on a school bus to come home at 3 o'clock," he said. "I'm saying he is innocent, and he wasn't there."

The county either will dismiss the case without prejudice or appeal the ruling before the next hearing Tuesday. Dismissing the case without prejudice means an appeal could be filed after the dismissal.

"Our most important evidence has been suppressed," Pima County Deputy Attorney Tom Weaver said. "We can't go to trial as the case stands now." Faw was charged with animal cruelty, a felony. Three teens are believed to have been involved in the attack, authorities said. Faw was the only one arrested.

"We're disappointed in the court's ruling. However, from our perspective this case is far from over," said Marsh Myers, public information officer for the Animal Cruelty Task Force for Southern Arizona. There could be other witnesses because the attack happened during the day, and the suspects could be bragging about it to other people in the community, he said. Myers said the child's testimony was "credible," even though she did not identify him in a lineup.

Source: Update posted on Feb 11, 2003 - 8:26PM 
Two psychiatrists will evaluate the Tucson teen accused of mutilating a poodle last month to determine if he is mentally competent to stand trial.

Dan Cooper, the lawyer representing Chris Faw, 14, asked Pima County Juvenile Court Commissioner Theodore Knuck to delay setting a trial date pending Faw's evaluation.

The teen sat in court yesterday flanked by his parents and his lawyer as the judge ordered the psychiatric evaluations.

Deputy Pima County Attorney Peter Hochuli requested that psychiatrist Dr. Bernard Morenz evaluate Faw on behalf of the state. Cooper requested that Dr. Herschel Rosenzsweig evaluate Faw.

Faw is a special education student at Rincon High School. He has Asperger's syndrome, a neuropsychiatric disorder similar to autism.

Cooper said Asperger's syndrome results in difficulty processing information, a lack of coordination and poor social skills.

Faw is charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly sodomizing Prince, a 7-year-old toy poodle, with a tree branch on Sept. 20. The dog had to be euthanized because of severe internal damage.

Faw denies being involved with the attack, Cooper said. He said he does not believe Faw is competent to stand trial.

"I don't think he knows what's going on," Cooper has said.

Faw, who was originally held in detention, was released from custody last week while awaiting trial. He is under house arrest with an electronic monitor, and must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Faw's next court appearance was scheduled for Nov. 22.
Source: Tucson Citizen - Oct 2, 2009
Update posted on Jul 22, 2009 - 8:47AM 
A14 year old boy charged in the mutilation of a poodle, will stay in detention for at least two weeks. The teenager is charged with one felony count of animal cruelty in Pima County Juvenile Court. He was arrested Wednesday afternoon. Detectives believe the boy along with two younger boys, took part in the brutal attack last Friday at a home on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Thursday afternoon in a courtroom at the Pima County Juvenile Justice Center, the boy's parents asked the judge to release the teen into their custody. The parents agreed to change their work schedules to provide around-the-clock supervision for the boy. The boy's mother also told the judge her son suffers from a neurobiological disorder, called Asperger's Syndrome, a form of autism. She says the boy is already seeing a psychologist for counseling and a psychiatrist for treatment of the disorder. Some of the traits of the disorder include poor social skills and poor communication. One expert says the sufferer's bad behavior may stem from his inability to express frustration or anxiety.

The judge decided to keep the boy in detention, until he's sure the boy is not a danger to his neighbors. The dog's owners think he is. They asked a member of the victim witness program to ask the judge to keep the boy in custody. They said they are devastated by the loss of their pet, and they worry the boy could potentially harm their children or neighborhood children and pets.

Prosecutors also asked the judge to keep the boy in custody until they could determine if he is a danger to the neighborhood. The judge will revisit the issue of release in an October 10th hearing, after the results of a court-ordered psychological exam are complete.

Prosecutors also say they have not decided whether to keep this case in juvenile court, or try the boy as an adult.
Source: KOLD - Sept 26, 2002
Update posted on Jul 22, 2009 - 8:51AM 

References

  • News KVOA, Tuscon AZ (channel 4) « AZ State Animal Cruelty Map
    « More cases in Pima County, AZ

    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.



    Send this page to a friend
© Copyright 2001-2012 Pet-Abuse.Com. All rights reserved. Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy