Speak up for victims in cruelty cases
September 28th, 2006 by admin
Last week police made arrests in a case that shocked the City of Belle Glade. In late August, a group of boys broke into a home when the owner was away, vandalized the house and killed a small kitten. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Trevor Cayson told the Clewiston News, “They put it in the oven alive and turned it on.” Sgt. Cayson expressed his outrage at animal cruelty, “Nothing gets to me worse. The animal wasn’t doing anything to them.” Two juveniles, ages 16 and 17, face charges of burglary, grand theft, criminal mischief and cruelty to animals.
Please write to the State Attorney’s Office and demand that they take this case seriously. Ask them to push for the maximum penalties if the two boys are found guilty.
Write to:The State Attorney’s Office
ATTN: Juvenile Division
401 North Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
E-mail: StateAttorney@sa15.state.fl.us
Responding to Animal Cruelty Cases in the Media
Speaking up in defense of animal victims can make a big difference in how cruelty cases are prosecuted. What you can do:
1. Writing letters to the editor of your local newspaper about cases of animal cruelty is an easy way to reach thousands of people, and to put pressure on law enforcement to treat animal cruelty seriously.
2. Call and/or write to the prosecutor handling the case. Explain your concerns and mention the undeniable link between cruelty to animals and other forms of violence. (Research in psychology and criminology shows that people who commit acts of cruelty toward animals are more likely to commit offenses against humans.) Ask that psychological evaluation/counseling be required for the perpetrator(s). Ask that the suspect(s), if found guilty, be prohibited from owning animals in the future.
How do you know which prosecutor is handling the case? If you can, call the state attorneys office in your area (click here for a list of Judicial Circuits), or call the clerk of courts in your county to find out the name and title of the attorney assigned to the case. When you call, be prepared with as much information as possible, such as the defendant’s name, and the charge(s) against him or her. If you can’t get the prosecutor’s name or one has not yet been assigned to the case, address your letter to the chief prosecutor in that office.