CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #4966 Rating: 2.9 out of 5
Dog killed with pick-axe
San Dimas, CA (US)Incident Date: Saturday, Jul 2, 2005
County: Los Angeles
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: William Dale Costner
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A Claremont man pleaded not guilty to felony animal cruelty in a Pomona courtroom on July 6, 2005. William Dale Costner, 52, of Claremont, was arraigned in Pomona Superior Court on a charge that he beat his dog to death with a pick ax, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy with the San Dimas Station arrested Costner on July 2 after he saw the man standing over what looked like a shallow grave while hitting an object.
The object turned out to be his female boxer between 7 and 9 years old, the statement said. Costner was about a block from his home in the 4000 block of Old Mt. Baldy Road at the time.
An autopsy performed by a veterinarian revealed the animal had been beaten to death with a pick ax, the statement said. The dog had been malnourished and there was evidence of old scar tissue throughout her body.
If convicted, Costner could be sentenced to a maximum of three years in state prison. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 19 in Pomona Superior Court.
Costner is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Case UpdatesWilliam Dale Costner plead guilty to felony animal cruelty yesterday and has been sentenced to a year in jail for beating his dog to death with a pick ax. As part of his sentence, he must also serve five years of probation for killing his female boxer over the July Fourth weekend.
A Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy arrested Costner after seeing him standing over a shallow grave and apparently hitting something. A necropsy showed the 7- to 9-year-old dog had been beaten to death, suffered from malnutrition and had old scar tissue throughout her body. | Source: KESQ - July 20, 2005
Update posted on Jul 25, 2005 - 5:17AM |
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