Teen Faces 35-yr Sentence for Shooting Police Dog that was Chasing Him

Typical liberal, distort the truth. You think the armed robbery might have something to do with it? Or are you ok with him holding the two women at gunpoint? Sounds like a model citizen? Maybe he can be a spokesman for BLM?

old news wrote:

Typical liberal, distort the truth. You think the armed robbery might have something to do with it? Or are you ok with him holding the two women at gunpoint? Sounds like a model citizen? Maybe he can be a spokesman for BLM?

Weird take, what would that have to be with anyone being liberal or conservative? Obviously dude should go to jail for crimes. And since when is Bart liberal?

In Florida, according to the article, you can get up to 15 years for a police dog, seems like a lot.

All I know is, dogs are by and large wonderful creatures and I like most of them. At the same time, if one is coming after to kill or maim me, I’d kill or maim it first, if at all possible. Wouldn’t really care if it’s a police dog or not.

TLDR: Dogs are great companions and for search and rescue. They should not be trained to hunt & bite humans, doesn’t matter who is doing it.

For what it is worth, 35 years is the total he could be sentenced for kidnapping, carjacking and shooting the dog.

Using police dogs to apprehend suspects is wrong. The dogs do not know when someone is trying to surrender and often cause serious injuries on suspects who are trying to give up. I also do not like putting animals in harms way just to get some drug dealer off the street. If we are going to live in a society where firearms are easier to obtain than an N95 mask, people, not pets, should have to put themselves in the line of fire to apprehend the bad guys. The life of

a police dog is not good. They are kept in patrol cars for long periods of time and every now and then a cop forgets to keep the AC on and kills a dog in the summer heat. And while a lot has been done to allow handlers to adopt retired dogs, there are still jurisdictions where police dogs are put to sleep or auctioned off after they retire.

Yeah nothing to do with the two cases of kidnapping.

The linked article shows a friendly looking dog, tongue hanging out.

The reality is these dogs are vicious and can (and do) cause enormous injury or death.

Aside from the issue of whether it's right to disfigure and maim suspects to make apprehension easier, innocent members of the public are attacked, too.

If one of these snarling hounds of hell were bearing down on me, I don't think my first instinct would be to lay down and become a chew toy.

“All I ask today, your honor, is for a second shot at life,” he said in court Monday. “And I hope that everyone can find it in their hearts to forgive me.”

He is being given a second chance at life -- in prison. He'll be given at strict routine, camaraderie. food, education, a job, recreation, counseling, room and board. All for free! Sort of like the military.

Don't worry Jhamal, you'll be forgiven, too .... in 2055. See how "no justice, no peace" works? When you kidnap a woman at gunpoint, we know how that was going to end. We know you weren't taking her to choir practice because the congregation was short a soprano.

There was a previous case in Florida where the dog was doing true damage to the suspect and it is arguable that it is cruel and unusual punishment to construct a law such that any resistance to being mauled by a dog, if it is a police dog, is illegal. The 15 year sentence for shooting a police dog seems very high. The dog was not likely to live ten years longer. German Shepherds live 9-13 years total, while a Belgian Malinois, also a common police dog, lives 12-14 years.

zxcvxzcv wrote:

There was a previous case in Florida where the dog was doing true damage to the suspect and it is arguable that it is cruel and unusual punishment to construct a law such that any resistance to being mauled by a dog, if it is a police dog, is illegal. The 15 year sentence for shooting a police dog seems very high. The dog was not likely to live ten years longer. German Shepherds live 9-13 years total, while a Belgian Malinois, also a common police dog, lives 12-14 years.

Does that mean that murdering the elderly should have a more lenient penalty because they weren't likely to live much longer?

Also, I can't believe this argument has to be said, but if you're going to risk your own life by resisting arrest then you don't deserve sympathy. I don't agree that police dogs should be "mauling" people, they're trained to bite and hold people down, not maul. If there's a problem with police dogs "mauling" people on their own, that's on the police dog handler and the trainers because the dogs should obey orders from the handler.

Precious Roy wrote:

For what it is worth, 35 years is the total he could be sentenced for kidnapping, carjacking and shooting the dog.

The life of

a police dog is not good. They are kept in patrol cars for long periods of time and every now and then a cop forgets to keep the AC on and kills a dog in the summer heat.

How many years do they get for that? ;)

This guy kidnapped people at gunpoint. I am not really much for jails for a lot of crimes (shoplifting, drug possession etc. I think there are better solutions) but I think he should go to jail.

This probably isn't that related but is there a reason why the police can't shoot people with heavy tranquilisers? I know they could harm some people but presumably less than a bullet.

Thank god you aren't involved in law enforcement. Have you watched video of cops getting ambushed? The gunfight lasts a few seconds, tops alot of the time. Tranqs take a long time to work, cant penetrate some clothing or any sort of obstacle, and will not stop a thug from shooting you 12 times in the face like a 9mm to his will

I loathe dogs, so no tears from me about that.

Kidnapping...that's pretty bad.

ploop wrote:

Does that mean that murdering the elderly should have a more lenient penalty because they weren't likely to live much longer.

If they're trying to rip your face off like the dog was, that is self defense not murder.

Posters 2-4 sort of represent my thoughts and I find them to be honest participants in this conversation.

The guy was obviously bent on escaping. If he would have managed that, he would have thought he was above the law and would have likely continued in his criminal rampage.

In past incidents this past year, I have read about women calling 911 on a "suspect" only to change their position and claim "the" suspect was a wonderful, loving father after he is shot. So shooting is wrong. Sending a dog after a suspect is wrong. What do you do?

How do you stop a person suspected of a crime if he refuses to give up? Please provide a solution. I too have a right for protection against criminals in return for paying taxes.

If that's what I am voting on a Biden ticket, I don't want it.

Disclaimer of sorts: Unless there is a jury present, the suspect does not deserve punishment. The dog involuntarily inflicts punishment. But how do you stop the guy? Is a dog bite worse than shooting him in the leg as Biden suggested? No, I would take a dog bite any day. I got an 85lbs GSD. He bites, I bite back. Getting shot in the leg is far worse. It could sever an artery or cause a limp for life.

We have a loooong way to go as a society. We want to change things. Fine, I agree, current systems are no good. But someone, please provide a solution!

You should also mention that he " carjacked two women at a gas station on Lem Turner Road and then he made one drive as he held her at gunpoint".

As for the dog being killed, this was expected, the dogs should not be treated like people when they get sent into the force. So I have to agree that it is absolutely absurd to get 15 years for shooting a dog. The dogs are expendable and are suppose to be used when it's a risk going after the suspect, so whatever happens to them, it should not be treated like a murder or manslaughter.

track chick wrote:

This probably isn't that related but is there a reason why the police can't shoot people with heavy tranquilisers? I know they could harm some people but presumably less than a bullet.

There are many reasons tranquilizers don't work fast enough and in unpredictable situations a taser or gun is always better. The tranquilizer can't just be fired anywhere, but where it can penetrate deep. The tranquilizers also has to have its dose adjusted for a suspects weight, it would take too much time and planning. Lastly, people will try to pull out the tranquilizer.

Poster, you are a criminal defense attorney, are you not? Maybe you can knock that down to: serve five years, five years probation, $5000 fine.

Another arbitrary suggestion. This kid will probably do the same thing to "earn" $5K so he can pay his fine. How is that going to deter him? That is the problem. The system we have in place to deter such crimes is no good. Making the punishment less does absolutely nothing.

I want this kid to make it in the world. How do we do that?

A lot of racist white cops teach their cop dogs to be racist too. But the Trumpers will deny that.

Bulphroach wrote:

A lot of racist white cops teach their cop dogs to be racist too. But the Trumpers will deny that.

Enquiring minds want to know exactly how one would teach a dog to be racist. I need specific details. Don't let me down.