CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #550 Rating: 2.7 out of 5
Dog thrown from balcony
New York, NY (US)Incident Date: Sunday, May 26, 2002
County: New York
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: John Jefferson
John Jefferson, 43, pleaded guilty Dec. 5 to robbery, burglary, stalking, criminal contempt and animal cruelty. The judge said two of the 12 years were for the dog, Ribsy.
"I've had pets all my life," Justice James Yates said. "I was just as sickened as anyone else when I read the stories."
The judge also ordered five years of parole supervision for Jefferson and signed an order of protection that directs him to stay away from ex-girlfriend Eugenia Miller for the next 17 years.
Jefferson tossed the 16-year-old black-and-white terrier-poodle mix to its death on May 26 during an argument with Miller. Ribsy landed in the concrete plaza below and died instantly. Jefferson also barricaded himself inside the apartment and threatened Miller with a knife, police said at the time.
"I am sorry," Jefferson said in court Thursday. "I was totally messed up, emotionally disturbed. I just lost it."
Jefferson pleaded guilty to burglary in connection with his forcible entry into the apartment, and his plea to the robbery charge was for a May 22 knifepoint holdup. The stalking charge arose from his harassment of Miller earlier.
Jefferson's lawyer, Russell Paisley, said his client's actions were those of someone under the influence of drugs. References« NY State Animal Cruelty Map
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