Pet-Abuse.Com - Animal Abuse Case Details: Dogs neglected, fighting suspected - 19 seized

Dogs neglected, fighting suspected - 19 seized
New Orleans, LA (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Feb 12, 2003
County: Orleans
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted
Charges: Misdemeanor
Case Images: 2 files available

Abuser/Suspect: Cleveland Harris, Jr.

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 765

Classification: Neglect / Abandonment, Fighting

Animal: dog (pit-bull)

View more cases in LA (US)

New Orleans Police and SPCA workers seized 19 American bull terriers and dogfighting equipment from a house at 4758 Evangeline St. in eastern New Orleans, authorities said.�

No one was arrested, and no one was at the house when the search warrant was executed, said Sgt. Paul Accardo, a Police Department spokesman. "But the investigation is continuing to identify the person or persons responsible," he said.

Many of the dogs were suffering from heartworm infestation, some were malnourished and one was missing a baseball-sized section of its face, police said. Others had scars on their faces, paws and legs.

"One can easily surmise that these dogs were involved in the dogfighting trade," Accardo said.�

The dogs, 10 females and nine males, range in age from 4 weeks to 4 years, said Laura Maloney, the executive director of the Louisiana SPCA, who�has assisted police officers in breaking up what has been called a large, professional dogfighting competition.

In that bust, spectators and participants, 16 in all from several Louisiana cities, were arrested and booked with at least one dogfighting charge, and at least 22 vehicles were towed from a trucking yard at the end of a dirt road in a remote section of eastern New Orleans where police said the dogfights took place.
�
Equipment seized included a dog treadmill to get dogs into fighting shape, a break stick for use in forcing a dog's mouth open after it has clamped onto its opponent, and videos of dogs fighting, Maloney said.

All but one of the seized dogs were euthanized Thursday.

Seventh District Lt. Heather Kouts is in charge of the investigation. Anyone with information about dogfighting is asked to call the Louisiana SPCA at (504) 944-7445, Ext. 304 or Crimestoppers at 822-1111 or toll free at 1(877) 903-7867, police said.

Case Updates

Judge Ben Willard found Cleveland Harris, 47, innocent of multiple counts of dogfighting from arrests in 2003 and 2005, as well as a 2003 charge of steroid possession.

Harris was found guilty of eight counts of cruelty to animals, a misdemeanor, from the 2005 case.

In late February, Willard found Harris guilty of 16 counts of animal cruelty in the earlier case. On Monday, Willard gave Harris a three-year suspended sentence for those charges but put him on probation for that period and ordered him to perform 150 hours of community service. Harris also will have to pay a $5,000 fine to the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Source: Nola - April 18, 2007
Update posted on Apr 18, 2007 - 2:32PM

Back to Top

18 counts of animal cruelty and one count of dogfighting are in question because of a judge's ruling that a search warrant was invalid. Prosecutors are appealing.

Source: The Daily Comet - March 1, 2005
Update posted on Mar 2, 2005 - 9:15AM

Back to Top

A man arrested in February on charges of dogfighting has been arrested again -- and again released. The suspect, Cleveland Harris, 43, faces 18 counts of cruelty to animals, three counts of dogfighting and one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance.

But Harris spent only a few hours in jail.

Harris was called into the courtroom of Judge Frank Marullo on Aug 26, 2003 after questions were raised about his $43,000 bond and his release from jail. Harris was arrested Aug. 19 after police searched a house he owned and found 19 pit bulls and what the SPCA identified as dogfighting materials.

"He had several (breaksticks), so we knew you would not have those if you were not a dogfighter," SPCA spokeswoman Laura Maloney said. "Breaksticks are used to pry open the jaws of a dog. When a dog's tooth is caught in the mouth of another, you need to open their mouths, to pry it open.

"We're not sure what these are for," said Maloney, holding a jar of preserved specimens. "These are dead puppies in a jar, two of them, and they are in some kind of formaldehyde. We really have no idea what that is for. We also have some videotapes showing him fighting his dogs, and while there are some other people in those videotapes, they are pretty gruesome, pretty upsetting to watch."

On one tape of a dogfight, a voice can be heard saying, "Let her kill her. Let her kill her."

Thirteen hours after his arrest, Harris was back on the street after Marullo let Felicia Medina sign a personal surety bond agreeing to pay $43,000 if Harris did not show up for all court appearances. The nature of Medina's relationship with Harris is not known.

But there is a problem.

Court records show no one in Marullo's court verified that Medina could pay the bond. Also left blank was the space stating who requested the bond.

On court documents, Medina's Social Security number is wrong -- and she is a convicted felon who pleaded guilty to credit-card theft in 1999, failed to appear in court, failed to keep appointments with her probation officer and tested positive on two drug tests.

When this was brought to Marullo's attention, he ordered Harris and Medina to court to determine Medina's ability to pay Harris' bond.

Frank Larre represents Harris.

"He tested the surety on my client, Mr. Harris, and determined whereas the lady who signed the bond for him might not qualify," Larre said.

So what did Marullo do then?

"He changed the bond to a recognizance bond," Larre said.

Harris is back on the street.

While animal lovers may be outraged, Larre contends his client is not a dogfighter. He said all the pieces of equipment seized are just the trappings of a dog breeder. As for the videos, Larre said no one can prove where or when they were shot, or whether Harris is on them.

Source: The New Orleans Channel
Update posted on Mar 2, 2005 - 12:48AM

Back to Top

Neighborhood Map

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

Add this case to:

Del.icio.us

Digg

Furl

References

The Times Picayune

Not sure what these icons mean? Click here.

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.

Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy

Dogs neglected, fighting suspected - 19 seizedNew Orleans, LA (US)

Case Updates

Neighborhood Map

References

Dogs neglected, fighting suspected - 19 seized
New Orleans, LA (US)