Attorneys/Judges
| Judge(s): | Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett |
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CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Dog beaten, resulting in death
Germantown, TN (US)Incident Date: Friday, Apr 22, 2005
County: Shelby
Charges: Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 1 files available
Defendant/Suspect: Stanley Chris Carmody
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
A dog groomer charged with animal cruelty is accused of beating a Yorkshire terrier six days before the animal died. Chris Carmody is accused of hitting the 3-year-old dog with a fist while it was being groomed at the Pet Set, a business owned by his mother, Laura Carmody, who denies the allegation.
A former coworker reportedly witnessed the attack. According to reports, the dog, named Mikey, suffered numerous seizures and was euthanized six days after the alleged incident.
"We're not in the business of trying to hurt dogs up here," Laura Carmody said after her son made an initial appearance in municipal court on the evening of July 6. A hearing on the cruelty charge was set for next month. The misdemeanor charge rests on a complaint from Betty Fry, who said her dog, Mikey, began having seizures after a grooming session in April and had to be euthanized. "We were just horrified to have to witness our dog floundering about, losing the ability to walk, having more and more frequent seizures," Fry said.
To send a polite�letter to the prosecutor in this case, asking that Carmondy be vigorously prosecuted and sentenced to jail time, a fine and mandatory psychological counseling at his expense if convicted, write to:
The Honorable Joe L. Wyatt
Prosecuting Attorney, City of Germantown
1930 Germantown Rd. S.
Germantown, TN 38138
Case UpdatesFor more than 41/2 years, Betty Fry tracked the court case of the groomer she believes beat her dog in Germantown, leading to the death of the Yorkshire Terrier mix named Mikey.
Betty Fry alleged that a groomer at The Pet Set in Germantown beat her dog, Mikey, leading to its death. "We wanted justice for our dog," Fry said.
On Thursday, Fry was in Judge Carolyn Wade Blackett's Criminal Court as the former dog groomer, Stanley "Chris" Carmody, pleaded to the misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty -- reduced from the the original felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty.
The sentence for Carmody, 31, of Byhalia, was a single day in jail, time he had already served and a $50 fine.
"We wanted justice for our dog," Fry said. "I'm a victim again by the justice system."
At The Pet Set, the Germantown store where Fry took the dog to be groomed on April 22, 2005, Laura Carmody said Friday that the dog's injuries were accidental, and her fault.
"If we had a trial, she would have probably known he didn't hit that dog," said Laura Carmody, Chris Carmody's stepmother and owner of the pet business.
Laura Carmody contends that she left a leash on the energetic, hard-to-catch dog and it choked on the leash in the store. She gave it CPR and thought it had recovered, she said.
"It was my fault totally," she said, although she said Fry shared some blame for insisting the dog be groomed that day.
"I left the leash on the dog; I took the dog when I knew I had too many dogs coming in," Laura Carmody said.
Jeffrey Jones, a Bartlett attorney who represented Chris Carmody, said his client made an "Alford plea," which allowed him to accept the sentence without technically admitting guilt.
"It means that he doesn't admit he did anything wrong, but that because of the cost of the litigation, it's in his best interests to go ahead and get it over," Jones said.
Fry points to an investigation by the Germantown police and the grand jury indictment for aggravated animal cruelty in 2006 for the facts that led to the felony charge against Chris Carmody.
She said one state prosecutor who since left for private practice was ready for trial, but successful delays by Carmody's defense attorney stalled the process. Fry counted 27 court dates between March 2006 and Thursday.
"This is just absolutely bizarre," she said.
Based on the information and evidence they had, prosecutors believe allowing Carmody to plead guilty to the lesser charge was the best possible outcome of the case, according to Jennifer Donnals, a spokeswoman for the Shelby County District Attorney's Office.
Fry's husband, John Fry, founder of Ardent Studios in Memphis, said Mikey's case should help highlight other pressing issues, including pet overpopulation in the region, the Memphis Animal Shelter scandal and dog fighting.
"I think there is way too low of an interest in animal welfare and animal cruelty in the community," he said. | Source: The Commercial Appeal - February 6, 2010
Update posted on Feb 6, 2010 - 11:58AM |
Charges against a Germantown dog groomer were upgraded Wednesday night to aggravated cruelty to animals, a felony. Chris Carmody, an employee of Pet Set at 7849 Farmington, initially was charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty in the death of a mixed Yorkshire Terrier named Mikey. The dog was dropped off at the business April 22, and Carmody is accused of hitting the animal and knocking it unconscious.
The dog, owned by Betty Fry, was euthanized about a week later.
Germantown prosecutor Joe Lee Wyatt said Wednesday the severity of the dog's injuries reached the criteria of a law successfully sponsored by state Sen. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, several years ago. Cohen said Wednesday that other jurisdictions across the state have filed felony charges in similar cases.
If convicted on the felony charges, Carmody could be sentenced to up to two years in prison. Misdemeanor penalties are much lower.
"Carmody's act of striking the animal and leaving it unconscious and/or in need of medical attention evidences the depraved and sadistic nature of Carmody's actions," the amended affidavit of complaint states.
Carmody's case was continued to Aug. 17 for a preliminary hearing.
Fry and several supporters attended. Former Pet Set employee, Theresa Bourgeois, said she saw Carmody -- stepson of Pet Set owner Laura Carmody -- strike the small dog in the head. Reports say Laura Carmody conducted CPR on the unconscious pet.
Laura Carmody and Jeffrey Jones, Chris Carmody's attorney, have characterized Bourgeois, who left the business shortly after the April 22 incident, as a disgruntled employee.
When Fry picked up Mikey, she said the dog was having seizures. A local veterinarian stated the seizures were consistent with a head injury, and the dog also suffered broken ribs, according to police records.
Since the charges became public, several other pet owners have said they believe their animals were mistreated at Pet Set. Also, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has flooded Wyatt's office with letters seeking stiff penalties for Carmody, including jail time and psychiatric intervention, if he is convicted.
Wyatt emphasized the letters from PETA did not contribute to the amended charges.
The prosecutor mentioned the possibility of amending the charges during Carmody's previous court appearance a month ago. | Source: Commercial Appeal - Aug 4, 2005
Update posted on Aug 7, 2005 - 5:45AM |
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