TheAgitator.com
143 Responses to “Puppycide in Oklahoma”
Leave a Reply
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial NoDerivs 2.5 License.
-
Site Features
-
Contribute
-
$12/month Recurring Donation
$6/month Recurring Donation
- My Amazon wishlist
-
-
-
Site Credits
Can you please put a warning up that the video shows the actual killing of the harmless dog by that disgusting animal in uniform? You have a knack for ruining my day.
May be interesting how this plays out….
…lovely middle class looking woman has her dog shot by cop showing off…pleas to hide evidence..no aledged drugs involved.
Hope the cop, the county, and the state get busted.
The news reporter gave warning, Frank.
Cops are disgusting. They are oppressors.
The cop should be fired and put in jail. He should lose his pension and everything.
Jimbo it’s coming right at us!
That is truly awful. The cop was stopping at her house to ask for directions! Not even pretending she was a criminal! So now, watch out, if you have a dog, do nothing wrong, are not even suspected of doing anything wrong, but live someplace where a cop might someday need directions, your dog might get shot.
So proud of this woman for standing up to the deputies and releasing this footage.
Can’t see the video, can someone provide a link?
This is what cops mean when they say they “put their lives on the line every day” for us.
Cops are pussies.
Hey there you dog killin’ Barney Fife. This woman that made the video public, even after you scumbags threatened her, has much larger balls than you.
I hope his kids are terribly embarrassed by their cowardly, jack-off of a father.
shoot the pig.
I’m surprised they didn’t arrest the woman for “illegally videotaping” a police officer. Also, if he’s a sheriff’s deputy, why is he stopping to ask for directions? Shouldn’t he know his patrol area?
I bet this ends with a settlement and Deputy One Shot One Kill gets to keep serving with no penalty.
Yet another good reason for a security camera.
I guess we all have to have cameras pointed at our property from now on? Good for her.
That dog ran at that cop like my dog runs at me every morning when she wants to go out for a walk or wants to play. Never occurred to me to shoot her.
I’m going to second Ginger Dan’s comment. There is something fishy about a sheriff’s deputy stopping at a private home for directions. Don’t they have a map and a radio or something? GPS?
Make sure you have a copy of this outside YouTube. That PD and the cop will file a claim with YT to have it taken down and YT does it automatically with an investigation afterwards. Keep it posted.
“Kurt Loder asked me what I say to a dead cop’s wife
Cops kill my people everyday, that’s life”
-Talib Kweli, The Proud
Seriously, the “bad apple” narrative is a joke. Until 18 USC 242 is used a little more frequently I have no sympathy.
shoot the dog, shoot the pig. (imo) this is a pretty clear case where self-defense is not a defense; the dog clearly is running not towards the cop but to the field. But you know, the court will say that to hold this against the cop would cause problems with cops ability to protect themselves. This argument is clearly bullshit because it gives cops free rein to kill/attack w/o a viable excuse other than ‘had to protect muhself’. Where paranoia siezes the mind, harm lurks around every corner, even on a farm.
Here’s something interesting that my gf pointed out: most serial killers have a propensity to be cruel to animals. I’m not suggesting that police officers are serial killers, BUT! perhaps the mindset of such people are similar to that of the growing police force in this country?
If there was anything tasers should be used for, perhaps this is it?
So, the cop was in fear for his life from the approaching dog…
Well, an armed man got out of his car, approached her house, and fired his gun…she’d be totally justified in picking him off with a rifle, right? In fear for her life and all…
You know, I try not to be a cop hater—there are plenty of decent ones out there—but they don’t make it easy, do they?
Seems like -unfortunately - there’s enough material on this subject to start an Agitator companion website, http://www.puppycide.com. Maybe we can get enough hits and generate enough heat to make this awful, terrible trend end once and for all.
You know, “Fireronzook.com” was instrumental in getting UF’s football coached fired a few years ago. Maybe we can do the same thing with individual cops caught doing this garbage.
You just know we’ll soon read: “An internal investigation found the officer innocent and completely acted within stated policies.” I wonder if those policies just say “Kill whatever you want.”
Soooo…if I shoot a cop’s dog while I’m walking down the road because it came out to greet me…I wonder what would happen to me.
Cops ARE funny though. They’ll admit there are good cops and bad cops, but they’ll never say “THAT GUY RIGHT THERE! HE’S a bad cop. THAT one. HIM!” Must…maintain…blue line!
By the way, who pays when the state, county or police lose (or settle) a court case for $$? Of course, you the tax payer. Only Time hits them. Time in the pokey. $$ doesn’t come out of their pocket.
If I shoot someone’s dog while asking for directions, I pay the price personally not JiffyLube where I work.
Or, even worse, JiffyLube’s customers.
I don’t believe that most (any?) small towns or rural counties in Oklahoma demand or PAY for pre-employment psychological testing of hew hires. Once on, they are rewarded for anti-social conduct (extreme aggression, etc) and it shows up indirectly in the divorce/spouse abuse rate. Since the usual “victims” are marginal folks, no one inquires.
IMHO, police officers should pass a STATE-mandated full blown psychological evaluation every five years as a condition of continued employment.
Cops Fears For His Life, Shoots Dog…
Watch the video report here (be warned: the video shows the death of the dog).
According to the report, the owner claimed that the sheriff’s department’s position was that the dog was trying to attack the police officer. However, when the dog own…
Large dogs running towards me scare me. I probably would have shot it as well.
Then you’re an idiot, Chance.
The dog was a threat to the officer’s doughnut so he had to be shot.
This woman is my new personal hero. How brave she must be, to take on the law in some podunk fucking town in the middle of noplace. I’d be scared to death of retaliation.
A police officer has many skills and tools at his disposal. In this case, he even had the protection of his car available. He didn’t even hesitate… he reached for his gun. That is the LAST thing he should have done.
My dogs will just run up to anybody, too. I fear for their lives.
Chance, I would have then shot you! You were obviously trying to take down my dog to get to me… justifiable homicide!
Interesting thought. Back in high school I worked for a small time psychology press called Spring Publications run by noted psychologist James Hillman. Basically it was devoted to Jungian and Archetypal psychology plus some mythology translations. Anyhow, I proofread a book called Emptied Soul By Adolf Guggenbuhl-Craig. One of the ideas he presents in this and other books is that psychopaths gravitate to professions that allow them power: teachers, clergy, medical professions, police officers etc. It was a pretty scary read.
Aren’t cops issued lick-proof vests?
The cop wasn’t scared. He didn’t even shift the paper in his other hand. He calmly rotated to keep firing. I carried mail for three years, and I know that look…it was practically boredom from someone that’s used to dealing with dogs. He *had* time to get back in the cruiser, he could have maced the dog (assuming he had some) or he could have just kicked at it. A single medium sized dog by itself is pretty close to zero threat. I’m terribly slow in physical confrontations (one of the reasons I avoid them) and I never had a problem grabbing a single dog by it’s ear and whacking it on the ground until it decided to go the other way. Even trained dogs have very limited attack capabilities, their necks aren’t flexible enough to bite sideways effectively. All they can do is bite to the direct front and they have zilch for claws.
Dude was being a lazy jackoff and felt like killing something…he may even have known the gal involved, knew the dog would come running out, and just decided to kill it. It’s that obvious if you’ve ever had to actually fight, not just train for it.
#21 Bigboy…
Let’s stop trying to prevent evil with more laws and regulations and start to punish evil. The cop should be fired, jailed and the department should pay the owner. Let all the inmates know that he was a cop and that the sicko shot a happy dog for no reason. Show the footage on the jail TV…. no more problems with this cop. And far fewer problems from other cops if they know they will not have their evil deeds covered up and they will have to pay.
If this disturbs you, please call the Grady County Law Enforcement Center and let your voice be heard:
(405)222-1000
Perhaps the real reason for declining crime rates in recent years is that we’ve put most of the scum on the police force where they can be criminals without consequence. Hell, actually get rewarded for it!
Pigs today are doing more and more of this type of thing. When are people ever going to learn that the henchmen of the state are their eneimies?
Can we start calling him Deputy Dawg yet?
my problem with this whole incident is how without video evidence the cop would have gotten away with it despite the woman’s testomny.
the government and its hapless enforcers operate above the law. governments should fear the people. this balanace should be corrected.
Radley: any more news on the PG county mayor who had his dogs shot?
I hope he loses his job. He’s a dangerous person who just grabs for his gun whenever he perceives a threat, real or imaginary. We can’t have people like that as cops. He reminds me of Jimbo on South Park with the “it’s headed right for us!” line. The bottom line is that he would have not risked so many problems by using pepper spray. The dog was no threat.
New professionalism, anyone?
“That dog ran at that cop like my dog runs at me every morning when she wants to go out for a walk or wants to play.”
That’s exactly what I thought. I’ve seen that very scene countless times in my life. A reasonable person knows how to deal with an unfamiliar dog. That doesn’t qualify.
I think it’s very sad that this happened, and I am not a big fan of police. But if somebody’s dog ran at me like that, I certainly might shoot it. You can’t really tell from the tape how threatening the dog was being. It’s possible that he wasn’t being threatening at all, and was just running playfully. If so, nail the cop. But it’s also possible that the dog was running towards the officer, teeth bared, acting aggressively. If that’s the case, shoot the dog. Hopefully a jury can figure out which is right.
That dog looks like a goddamned muppet! Who could be afraid of that dog?
If I had a gun and saw a cop do that to my dog, I doubt whether I could restrain myself from shooting him.
What a brave woman to stand up to these jack-booted thugs.
I hope she brings a lawsuit and that prick cop is fired.
Looked like a happy dog to this viewer, simply running out to greet the folks dedicated to “protect and to serve”. Cops are useless these days especially when they need “directions”. Thank God for video. Watch your back brave lady.
[...] and bullies want to be cops now. And on that premise, it would do my soul a world of good to see Grady County Oklahoma Deputy Sean Knight get his teeth kicked out. I mean it. Oct 23, 08 | 12:14 pm AxeBitesVarious guitars I see floating by, mostly Gibson and [...]
That cop should definitely be fired and stripped of pension and benefits. As a civilian, he should be forbidden from owning or carrying a gun.
If that had been my dog outside of my house, I’d have dropped him dead right then and there.
Aside from the obvious evil of this, I’d like to know exactly where they were going to get the money they offered her “to keep quiet”. That doesn’t sound like a valid use of taxpayer dollars, and there’s no reason to think it isn’t standard operating procedure. I think this department needs to be turned inside out by some forensic accountants.
Given the quality of the video isn’t high enough to show us the dog’s body language, the sheriff’s department would probably have gotten away with it if they’d stuck to their story. It’s changing the story when they learn there’s video that damns them.
You can tell people all day long that cops kill a lot of dogs unnecessarily. It won’t have the impact of this video.
Even with the video, he’ll get away with it. Any investigation will show that he acted properly.
“the sheriff’s department would probably have gotten away with it if they’d stuck to their story”
Once again, the lesson here is that if you have incriminating video or audio, don’t reveal it until after they file their official reports. The lie is more damning than the video alone.
even though it’s evident that the dog posed no threat, it doesn’t even matter if it did. the cop was on the lady’s property and was not supposed to be. if he gets away with this, it’s game over for freedom.
Gonzo: This woman is my new personal hero. How brave she must be, to take on the law in some podunk fucking town in the middle of noplace. I’d be scared to death of retaliation.
I agree. Which speaks to the overwhelming lack of character and decency in law enforcement. They are perfectly ok using retaliation to intimidate people into never holding pigs to any accountability.
They are neither brave nor heroic. Which is why whenever there is an actual gunmen (in a school/mall/business) the brave cops can be find cowering outside until the shooter kills himself.
American citizens are pets of their respective State. Pets cannot own property. All property belongs to the State. The State is your master - obey - as expected. All States are property of the Federal Government. Our country is the property of the individuals who really control the Federal Government, not the people. The people have been usurped, we do not have a constitution, only the whim of those in power & authority. I wish you luck pretty woman. A bad outcome would be to use this and similar to replace local cops with Federal cops - not a good direction. How many 100’s of yrs. did the USA not have any cops whatsoever? Were the Black Panthers right when they said we are an occupied country? We’re just one big outdoor prison of priveledge - eh?
She should be scared. Heck, Im scared just from simply posting my peaceful truthful factual opinion.
The police have become a Samurai class. They stalk the land, and if one of us commoners looks at them out of the corner of our eye, they behead us.
Of course the ultimate irony is she would have gone to prison for killing a police officer if it had been a K9 dog.
my state allows concealed carry and I take advantage of that daily. Dogs came at me a few times while walking in my neighbourhood. For some reason I never thought of pulling out my weapon. Usually the dog just stays at a distance and barks. Only once I had to kick one that ran away wimpering.
That cop is a f*ing loser and coward.
There are police officers…then there are pigs.
Handling a dog isn’t rocket science: Yell “No!” real loud—most domesticated dogs have heard that before. Wave your arms forward and backward over your head like you’re going to throw something—most annoying street dogs have had stuff thrown at them. Be prepared to kick if the dog keeps coming. (Cops can use their flashlight or baton too.) Never had to do anything else.
we ignored it when they were killing poor black folks, but now they’re encroaching on the middle class. I hate seeing dogs killed, but this woman and the mayor are fantastic catalysts to inspire free citizens to stand up to this tyranny.
I’m forwarding this video to everyone I know.
Dog owner has some culpability. Dog shouldn’t be running loose. Best I can surmise is that the cop didn’t want to appear as a sissy and climb back into the car to avoid confrontation. This officer has the wrong attitude for carrying around a firearm. Fire his ass.
This comment is from “apollo” at reddit:
“This happened to me once, except when the dog ran at me I knelt down and hugged it and it licked my face.”
“the cop was on the lady’s property and was not supposed to be.”
The cop is allowed to be on the property asking for directions. The problem is that once on the property, he felt allowed to kill someone’s dog. Its the same thread running through all the SWAT, taser and puppycide articles Radley covers: the police have no concept of proportionality, and are ready to use overwhelming force at any time.
I can partially see the point of those defending the cop since we can’t really tell from the video whether the dog was acting threateningly or frisky, and the cop may have had reason to believe the dog was attacking. If the dog was aggressive, the cop’s actions probably aren’t illegal, and not just because the law has a way of shifting to accomodate cops. I often carry a gun and might shoot a charging dog too; kicking an animal seems too much like offering it a leg to bite.
But why didn’t the cop even try to get back into his car? It’s one thing to stand your ground, it’s another to do so when you don’t have any particular authority to be wear you are and do have better options available. His actions betray a sense of entitlement and “don’t mess with me” that doesn’t go well with authority.
The cop had to choose and act quickly, and maybe he would have gone into his car if he’d had more time to consider his options. I sympathize, but split-second decisions say something about you, and in this case it says you can’t keep track of a situation well enough to be trusted with a gun. Or perhaps the cop reacted to a perceived threat purely on instinct; that’s worse. If you carry a gun, it’s your responsibility to think before you shoot. I don’t think that’s controversial.
While I agree the cops should be sued - I don’t believe taxpayer’s (victims’ neighbors) should be the ones paying the price for a reckless, cowardly cop. I say - sue the cop personally, and make it hurt where it actually counts!
From the video:
So, there is clearly more to this story regarding what exactly happened right after the shooting and I am really curious about the other details. I get the impression from the above account that maybe the deputy tried to sneak off without telling this woman that he had just shot her dog. Did he just leave the property immediately after this? A firearm was discharged while he was on duty, so I think it’s important to know whether or not he filed an incident report in a timely manner. I am not sympathetic to shooting a dog when getting back in the car would have been more than sufficient to allay any threat, and I think there’s a really strong case that he used lethal force as a first resort. But, if he later tried to conceal his actions, this goes beyond a case of determining whether he legitimately felt threatened or even if he reacted properly to a perceived threat. A real smoking gun would have been if she had recorded the conversation where the department offered her money and told her not to release the video.
BTW, an article in a local paper adds that the deputy was “on duty serving tax warrants” at the time of the incident. Tax warrants? Doesn’t exactly raise the level of sympathy for the shooter. No wonder the sheriff’s department might want to keep this quiet.
i had a newspaper route when i was 12. every morning i had run at me many bigger and more threatening dogs than that. and i didn’t have a car, just a bike.
and you know… i never did fear for my life, even at 12 years old. nor was i ever bitten, even though i never shot any of those dogs.
You know… they really ought to equip police cars with public address systems. That way, the cop could have taken the two steps needed to get back in his vehicle, announce over the loudspeaker to the home’s occupants that someone needed to come out and restrain their dog, and then he could even ask for directions over the PA system if he didn’t feel like getting back out of the car…
Ooops. That solution doesn’t involve violence or destruction of civilian property, so it’s just not feasible.
Roy, after a rocky start, you came around to the point. It really doesn’t matter if the dog was acting aggressively or not. He had many tools at his disposal and he chose overwhelming force. Wrong choice. He shouldn’t be trusted with a gun interacting with citizens.
That was a quick shot. Perhaps old Western movies are themed well.
In some crazy way, I’m really offended by what amounts to the officer’s bad manners. If you bring your dog over to me, and he gets aggressive, I might get aggessive right back. But if I’m a guest at your house, ettiquette demands that I either tolerate it (while trying to encourage you to restrain your dog) or leave.
Cops are cowards as a rule and this guy sure proved it.
GOD BLESS Tammy for standing up to that low life piece of shit! He most certainly deserves to lose his job, pension and freedom for his unlawful actions. He was on private property—-on the DOG’S property with no lawful reasoning therefore not only did he have no right to shoot this dog, the dog had every right to attack and protect his property!!!
I only hope the cops here are not as stupid for you can bet your ass if this took place in my yard with my dog, knowing how there is no justice in our world today, I would have shot the bastard without a second thought!!! Tammy you hang tight and continue the fight and know MANY are on your side!!
And to the piece of shit cop—I hope you eat shit and die you cowardly, sorry excuse for a human!!!
Letter carriers, meter readers and pool guys go onto people’s property every day and manage to avoid having to shoot their dogs. If any private citizen did what this officer did they would be facing serious charges.
When you go onto someone’s private property uninvited and unannounced you have to expect they may have dogs that won’t like you being there. The burden should be on you to show caution and respect for the property owner before you even exit your car.
This cop had a sense of entitlement. It doesn’t seem to me that law enforcement should even be allowed to go on to someone’s property for any reason unless they have a legitimate police reason for doing so. If you need directions go to a damn gas station, call your dispatcher, use your cell phone or carry a friggin gps or map with you. Having armed agents of the government going on to law abiding citizens property unannounced is a recipe for disaster.
and, strangely enough, some days comments restore a teensy-tiny bit of my faith in humanity. Just a little bit…I promise, no optimism. Too bad it won’t translate into a job flipping burgers for jackass. See? still pessimistic.
That cop more than likely has a computer with internet access, a radio to call dispatch, a gps system, he and his ride along have cell phones to call and ask for directions. And like someone said previously, any cop who doesn’t know the terrortory (pun intended) then they are a worthless cop.
I’m sure he did know there was a beautiful woman at home alone.
That dog probably saved her from being raped and murdered by a dirty cop.
Tammy - thanks for showing that INTEGRITY is not dead in America.
My best to you.
[...] Tin-Badge coward shoots dog….caught on film! The police dept said the dog was attacking the officer and he had to use deadly force. Then after the dog’s owner said she had the incident on videotape….the sherriff changed their story. My dog runs up to people and cars when the drive up into my driveway all the time….doesnt mean she is going to attack them. Turns out this tin-badge pig had his brother in-law as a ride along that day. The cop had PLENTY of time to get back into the car if he really felt threatened…. The Agitator Blog Archive Puppycide in Oklahoma [...]
You don’t know from the video what sort of property the lady has. She could have a fenced area with a long driveway, and thus the dog is running around the house but is still within fenced property. Even if the dog was loose, that gives no justification to shoot it. I have 2 large dogs, and have dealt with hundreds of dogs while going to Dog Parks and in my walking around neighborhoods with my dog. Not ONCE have I felt that I had to shoot a dog, despite being in a few situations where I felt a dog was aggressive. Most dogs can be scared by yelling at them and bearing your teeth, and you DON’T require extensive dog ownership/interaction to know this, it’s just common sense. It’s even more so for this cop because they are TRAINED to use verbal skills and supposed proportionate force (laugh).
I thought all cop cars have a PA so they can give you commands if necessary. I’ve never had it happen any other way in my life or in stories I’ve been told by others. If you really want to find out, go take a walk through your local police parking lot and look at the front of each vehicle, you may see a speaker (some have the speaker behind the front grill e.g. installed by opening the hood).
If this isn’t allowed, please delete it and my apologies.
Contact info for the Grady County Sheriff’s Department in Oklahoma is:
Sheriff Kieran McMullen
215 N 3rd St
Chickasha, Oklahoma 73018
Phone: (405)222-1000
Fax: (405)222-5044
kmcmullen@gradycosheriff.com
Whoops, I missed this part of the other news story:
“All of this comes on the heals of Grady County Sheriff Kieran McMullen pleading guilty to a charge of “willful neglect of duty” surrounding separate incidents of illegal gambling and death threats made to the local District Attorney as reported by News 9 in Grady Oklahoma. Sheriff McMullen resigned the day before he plead guilty. Two other deputies and McMullen’s wife, a Chickasha police officer, also plead guilty to the same charge and resigned from their law enforcement positions. “
When I was young I had a paper route, and was bitten by a collie right on my upper thigh. The dog came around the house and had me before I really knew what happened. I do not believe there would have been time to stop the attack.
My dad told me that he understood it was quick, but if a dog came at me again to whistle at it, as though I was it’s friend. I have used that little trick many times since, and you would be amazed how well it will stop a dog in his tracks.
Try it on a dog in a fenced yard that is acting aggressive. It is kinda funny how they get this quizzical look, and their tails start wagging almost instantly.
Beyond the fact that it is a dog, this is destruction of property. I gotta say this guy must be a real douche bag… shooting a poodle-like dog just for the sake of killing it. I would maybe understand if it was a charging 110+ lb rottweiler, but then he still had more than enough time to get back into the car. Abuse under the color of law.
If the cop’s initial report contained false information, he has feloniously file a false report.
it is a felony for you to provide false information to the police, same for the officer. he should go to prison for that felony alone. no doubt you would.
if the officer did not have official business at this residence, if in fact he was just stopping for directions, then he is no more priviledged than you would be if you stopped to ask directions. If I stopped in someones yard to ask directions and shot their dog in the process I would go to jail for animal cruelty. If he was on her property without official cause and without permission he is trespassing.
So in summary, it is very likely the officer used a firearm in the commission of a crime, and in most states there is a mandatory sentence.
Unless the populace makes it clear that the law will be enforced on this officer or the entire county commision will not be re-elected, nothing at all will be done. It is time for the PEOPLE to take back their government from these thugs and their goons.
peace
I have lived in Amerika for 13 years and am shocked at the behavior of police here. I think most have a military background and are out and out bullies. It is time for Amerika to start a draft police force, where everyone serves for a maximum of 7 years. It is the only way we can rid the nation of these steroid popping bullies. Decades ago Walt Kelly wrote in his Pogo comic strip” I have seen the enemy and he is us” and nothing illustrates this more than the cop dog killer and the ensuing cover-up.
BTW, I wish they hadn’t bailed out Wall St., as I looked at the meltdown as the event that could take this (potentially) great nation on a new track.
Vote early and vote often.
#80- I couldn’t get the email kmcmullen@gradycosheriff.com to work.
#41 | Jeremy | October 23rd, 2008 at 12:19 pm
I think it’s very sad that this happened, and I am not a big fan of police. But if somebody’s dog ran at me like that, I certainly might shoot it. You can’t really tell from the tape how threatening the dog was being. It’s possible that he wasn’t being threatening at all, and was just running playfully. If so, nail the cop. But it’s also possible that the dog was running towards the officer, teeth bared, acting aggressively. If that’s the case, shoot the dog. Hopefully a jury can figure out which is right.
Any one who has dealt with dogs knows that stride was a “lope”. Dogs that attack come at full charge. If the dog had been attacking he would have had to shoot it long before it got to where it did. He would not have been able to turn out of the way if it was attacking.
[...] without setting himself as an Only One who can act with Officially-backed impunity. Like, oh, Grady County Oklahoma Deputy Sean Knight [Link via Beck, [...]
Premise #1: Humans are inherently good, so individuals can keep order without a State.
Premise #2: Humans are inherently evil (or some combination of good/evil), so it is necessary to create a super-organization (State) unaccountable to the populace, yet drawn from the same pool of good/evil individuals, who then oppress the populace.
With all the emotion (85 comments!!!) generated by this post, is there anyone willing to withdraw their support for the State? I mean really withdraw it, not participate in worse-than-meaningless cowardly exercises of violence like voting?
I’ll take all comers.
This is why police should not be allowed to carry weapons. They do not know how to handle them responsibly. The same goes for soldiers. They are always hurting people. Guns in government employees’ possession should be illegal. They can’t ever be trusted with them.
Hey, Cynical in CA! I had my name taken off the voter rolls last week. I decided picking someone to lie, steal, and kill in my name is immoral.
This is why cops suck- Not all of em, but there is a large number of them who are high school bully types that will never grow up!
I’m tired of seeing a new po po brutality tapes everyday!!
I say go to his house and shoot his dog! If he don’t have one kill one of his relatives dogs- That’s what she should do!
Fat Steve: yes it is. Unfortunately, I don’t think defense in Ranson v. Kitner is applicable here, at least not likely. Still though, trespass.
Video quality’s too low for a definite opinion.
It certainly could have been more vile. He is backing away and doesn’t shoot til the dog is close. That said, with a dog like that - just take the bite.
#90 Pappy Yokum -
Come on man, there are a lot of active and former military reading this post, and as one of them, I assure you I am beyond disgusted by this outright murder of an innocent dog! If that isn’t the worst and most graphic abuse of power I’ve seen in a very long time, I don’t know what is. Many posters are correct: if we, the average American did something like that (I’m sure most of wouldn’t dream of it!) we could kiss our ass goodbye, ’cause we’d be IN PRISON!
I, too, have a huge distrust of government (I worked for them, I know how they are), and that video does nothing to improve my outlook. I’m sure you’re upset and probably didn’t mean what you said as I am taking it, but believe me, there are some bad folks in this world (like that cop!) and you ought to be thankful that our military has the courage to kill them before they kill you. It sucks, but that’s reality - I’d change it if I could.
I’ll end with this - If civil insurrection ever occurs, I’l be right beside you fighting against goons like the one in that video…
Death threats, illegal gambling, dog murder - the Grady County Sheriff’s Department certainly knows how to party! Here’s the latest top thug:
Acting Sheriff Larry Crabb
215 N 3rd St
Chickasha, Oklahoma 73018
Phone: (405) 222-1000
Fax: (405) 222-5044
lcrabb@gradycosheriff.com
Maybe the crabman would like to hear what you think of cowardly dog slayers?
That dumb Barney Fife , I guess he dont know about the make my day law . He ws looking for directions , that was the dogs property, and that was a private drive in the country. What if that was a police dog , the person who shoots a police dog would go to prison so i think he should go to prison.
To the person who said that the dog should not have been running loose:
I don’t know the law in that area but in my city the law says that if your dog leaves your property your dog must be on a leash. Um…I’m pretty sure that my driveway is my property, so as long as she stays in my yard, my dog does NOT have to be on a leash(whether there is a fence or not) and my dog knows better than to leave our yard(front or back). The video clearly shows that the dog does NOT leave the driveway so in my city the video would be proof that the dog had every right to be running in the driveway…now if the officer had parked on a street and the dog had run into the street towards the officer, that would be another story but that is not the case here.
“Then you’re an idiot, Chance.”
While that’s certainly one viewpoint, there have been many discussions on this site about how people aren’t always rational actors. While I don’t have a phobia about dogs in general, I’ve certainly been attacked before and in a similiar situation to this it might cause the reptilian brain to take over, and cause me to shoot first, think later.
“Chance, I would have then shot you! You were obviously trying to take down my dog to get to me… justifiable homicide!”
How about just posting a large dog warning sign, so I know not to knock on your door for directions? You get to keep your dog, and I get to still live. Everyone is happy.
I have (over 100pd rottie mix) and love dogs so feel pretty comfortable around them. With that in mind, some people are really scared of dogs due to past experience. In this case, it doesn’t seem that way but I was not there so will not pass judgement unless I have more information. Our country is amazing in that we have the freedom and time to think about and express our social/political opinions but too much of the time blanket statements are issued, fingers are pointed and nothing productive happens while the divide of ideolgies gets bigger and more contentious. Sounds a little like politics, if you are not with us you are against us. This election is historic because the flaws of that way of thinking is being questioned and in my opinion it is about time. The world is not black and white and governed by absolutes. Let’s take this in mind and start working on the issues with everyone involved instead of drawing battle lines every time.
How about requiring police who use excessive force questionably be required to give up their gun and be placed on administrative (or desk duty) for one year. During that time they should complete certain training and they would still be productive as well as disciplined without actually wasting tax payer money. That should teach good cops to be more prudent and bad cops who are power hungry to be psychologically castrated for a year. If the amount of cops on this probationary period reaches a critical mass where law can not be reasonably enforced due to manpower issues, that precinct’s leaders should be placed under investigation and their workforce culled and replaced. Multiple infractions (and I’m talking questionable actions, not obvious actions of police brutality which should be criminally prosecuted) would incur permanent loss of weapon. They can still work for the police by doing community service or administrative work. Something tells me a psychopathic, power hungry cop will not want to be a cop if that means dressing up like McGruff the crime dog and educating third graders about not talking to strangers.
Hmmm…I would what would happen if court if that had happened to me?
I live in Texas, where the state law says that dogs are “property”.
Texas Law also states that “a person in lawful possession of land or tangible, movable property is justified in using force against another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to prevent or terminate the other’s trespass on the land or unlawful interference with the property.”
So according to the Texas Penal code I can use “force”(shooting someone, not necessarily killing) to prevent someone from “unlawful interference”(animal cruelty) with my “property”(my dog). Pretty useful information if I do say so myself.
Chance, you missed my point. I know irony doesn’t convey well in the inter-webs, so I’ll explain. Keep in mind, I am being 100% consistent here.
There is no need to shoot the dog (as there is no need for me to shoot you). You have the protection of your car. You have a baton, and probably mace and a tazer. You are wearing body armor. You have ample training to deal with exactly this type of situation. And yet you choose deadly force. That is what is wrong here.
I had a cop come on to my property, he was going to execute my dog. A 9 month pregnant woman wrestled with him, trying to grab his gun hand, while he attempted to shoot the dog. She saved his life by keeping her body between the gun and the dog. When we called 911 and reported the attempted murder he finally holstered his weapon. The dog’s only crime was that he was so well trained and mild mannered that he didn’t need a leash. After we paid several $30 fines, the officer was going to take matters into his own hands. We filed a criminal complaint against the officer but they just laughed it off. I only wish I had a security camera then.
Just more evidence - If big brother is going to watch, little brother needs to watch back.
[...] via Radley Balko at the Agitator, we discover a police officer so terrified of a dog he was forced to shoot it - in the driveway of [...]
Christina,
I used to live in Texas, and I promise your understanding of the law is grossly and dangerously incorrect. If you take your own advice you will go to prison for a long time.
No links; IANAL and won’t try to give specific advice, but consider taking a CHL class. They’ll teach you when it’s OK to shoot and how to avoid having to do so, and the class is kind of fun too.
106 responses for a dog’s needless death.
When there is a kid’s needless death, I’ve seen perhaps a few dozen at most.
I remember years ago, Oprah had asked a question “If your dog and your kid were both drowning, and you could only save 1, which would you save?”
The overwhelming majority picked the dog.
Now I know why she never had kids.
Am I the only one here who realizes that ALMOST ALL police cars these days are equipped with computers, internet access, etc. There is NO POSSIBLE reason for which this man “needed” to get out of his car to go ask for directions here. This was a malicious sadistice sociopath purposefully baiting a devoted pet guarding his home. I hope he loses everything he has worked for and that the only job he is able to garner in the future is that of a bathroom attendant at McDonalds before this is all over.
It will be wrong on several levels if this “officer” is allowed to stay on the force of this town, or serve in any other law enforcement community, ever. He may have serious psychological issues. I’m familiar with the breed (Airdale Terriers).A 4 year old male has been in my home for the past 6 months. They are aggressive greeters. The gait of the dog clearly indicates that he was not in attack mode. I sense that the dogs owner is correct in that this officer had an agenda, quite possibly showing off for his ride along.
The questions;
How long had the officer been on the force?
Is he from the area?
If he was a local why was he stopping for directions?
What is his history as far as shootings, abuse, brutality?
Did he know the dogs owner?
Has the SPCA been contacted?
From the video it seems clear that he could have taken evasive action, i.e. gotten back into his car.
Monica, that is a seriously stupid post. No parent would EVER pick the dog before the child… That has nothing to do with this subject whatsoever. We are discussing whether cops should have the right to kill animals on private property. i don’t remember a child being shot on this woman’s property. Do you?
That being said… I cried when I watched the video. This dog looks very much like mine and mine will definitely run up to strangers… to play. Being that this dog was on her private property and an uninvited guest came on to her property, the dog had every right to defend his home. I still am not convinced this dog was being aggressive though… he just didn’t have the body language.
I believe the protection of property law was passed after the case in California where a thief broke into a home, the homeowner shot the thief in fear for his own life, the thief then sued the homeowner and won the case(There was also a case where a thief fell and was injured and then sued the homeowner and won). That Texas law was then passed to prevent the same thing from happening here…all I know is that according to the law house pets are considered “property”. I got the wording on the law directly from the Texas State website.
Texas Penal Code Chapter 9 - Subchapter D
Sec. 9.41. PROTECTION OF ONE’S OWN PROPERTY. (a) A person in lawful possession of land or tangible, movable property is justified in using force against another when and to the degree the actor reasonably believes the force is immediately necessary to prevent or terminate the other’s trespass on the land or unlawful interference with the property.
Sec. 9.42. DEADLY FORCE TO PROTECT PROPERTY. A person is justified in using deadly force against another to protect land or tangible, movable property:
(1) if he would be justified in using force against the other under Section 9.41; and
(2) when and to the degree he reasonably believes the deadly force is immediately necessary:
(A) to prevent the other’s imminent commission of arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime; or
(B) to prevent the other who is fleeing immediately after committing burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or theft during the nighttime from escaping with the property; and
(3) he reasonably believes that:
(A) the land or property cannot be protected or recovered by any other means; or
(B) the use of force other than deadly force to protect or recover the land or property would expose the actor or another to a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury.
I dunno that seems pretty darn clear to me…
Christina,
Does shooting a person constitute force or deadly force? Does somebody killing your dog constitute arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, theft during the nighttime, or criminal mischief during the nighttime?
If you are trained to use a gun then you know how to shoot someone without killing them. Which most people would be smart enough to do.
It would constitute as criminal mischief, or possibly even aggravated robbery(chances are that if someone with a gun that I don’t know comes onto my property they were meaning to rob or harm me, or both). It will happen to be a bit nicer if they have the charge of animal cruelty added to their other charges to keep them in jail even longer. I work for the Dallas County Sheriffs Department warrant section so I think I have an understanding of those charges. Criminal mischief is very vague and could be many different things.
I think Christina’s interpretation would certainly be correct if were it not a police officer in question. I believe the law she cites presupposes non-living property, but certainly if the dog is to be considered property, then the murder of the dog would be an offense greater even than arson, burglary, robbery, etc. All the other requirements are met.
I definitely think the law would be on one’s side for killing someone who was on your property killing your dog. Except when the killer is a cop.
I agree with others who’ve said they thought the cop didn’t want to look weak in any way by getting back into his vehicle. That’s the core problem. The obvious solution to this situation is for the visitor (the officer) to yield to the resident (the owner, and the dog) their rightful property. That this officer couldn’t be troubled to look weak by respecting the owner’s property is evidence enough that he should not be in the employ of those who seek “to serve and protect.” What a joke.
You NEVER shoot to maim. You NEVER shoot to injure. You ALWAYS shoot to stop the threat. Stopping a human threat means shooting at the largest area, which is the chest. If the target dies as a result of your shots, then so be it. The critical factor is were you in fear of your life. If not, why would you shoot someone? That is unjust force. If you shoot to injure, then you’re not in fear of your life, and your target could very well continue the attack. Do you want to take that risk?
This cop is a disgrace! I hope that enough people in America stand up and make an example of this disgusting act of animal cruelty. This person should not be allowed to carry a gun or act as a community servant and keeping him on the force just shows a complete break down in the system. If he is prepared to do that to a persons pet this time what or who will he violate next time. Sick Bastard should be charged with animal murder! Or do police live under a different set of rules to the rest of us? Sorry for the loss of your best friend Tammy my heart goes out to you.
Sue the bloodthirsty, sadistic bastard and his handlers, the State!
Pig was trespassing on her property and destroying her property (killing her dog).
She would have been completely justified in blowing his head off. Hopefully next time he pulls something like that he’s carried off in a body bag. Better yet would be some vigilante justice.
I hate those State worshiping gangster pigs.
Deputy Sheriff Sean Knight had no right to shoot Bruiser on Tammy Christopher’s property.
He was trespassing and this beautiful Airedale Terrier happily came to greet him with kisses and he got shot.
THIS IS AN OUTRAGE, DEPUTY SEAN KNIGHT SHOULD BE IMMEDIATELY FIRED!
He graduated from Mid America Christian University, what kind of Christian is he for shooting a defenseless dog on private property.
HE IS A WIMP!
Would he shoot a child that was running towards him too?
What is all the fuss about? That dog was clearly an armed and dangerous felon… thank goodness for the measured response from a well trained professional.
Of course, this is a case of “police must be supermen” syndrome. Everyone is Monday morning quarterbacking this incident. “The cop could have used his taser or his pepperspray” says one person. “The officer could have kicked the dog” says another person. This was not a chihuahua or any comparable small dog. The dog was rather large. Of course, the officer could have leaped a tall building in a single bound. It is silly to say the usual, “If it was me” statement. It wasn’t you or me. It was this officer and he made a decision in regards to his personal safety. I guess the dog should have been on a leash, especially since there is a leash law in Grady County. If the owner had followed the law, then she would still have her furry friend. The officer should have cited her for ignoring the leash law.
As a resident of Grady County OK I have seen this video and heard the story numerous times. There is no reason anyone should get lost in grady Grady County as the roads are set up on a square mile format. The idea that the very person we are paying to protect us in rural areas got lost and had to stop and ask for directions is rediculous. If he did not know the local geography he should not have been out there. He also had his brother-in-law in the patrol unit as a ride along. He had time to return to his vehicle or use the pepper spray they are so fond of.
The dog in the video (to me) showed no signs of aggression. Where was the teeth-bearing, the defensive stace, or the pinned ears? This dog appeared to be running toward him with the hope of being petted. The Grady County Sherriff’s dept. is under investigation for more than just this. Check into it and see for yourself. Does this mean that when the police employ a K-9 unit and I am scared for my life by the OBVIOUS signs of aggression I have the right to defend myself with deadly force?
For those who say that dog shouldn’t be running loose… did you see how big that piece of property is? Do you know how many mini-ranches, farms, etc. have plenty of dogs roaming around them in OK? Have you never been out in the country? How many cops would roll up on some good ole boy’s ranch and start shooting his cow dogs? This cop went on someone’s property and killed their dog for nothing. He is just a pussy, plain and simple.
The law doesn’t say that if you have hundreds of acres, then you do not have to have your dog on a leash. It says that your animal must be on a leash while in public at all times. The dog was in public and should have been on a leash. The owner failed to obey the law and the dog paid the price. It is a shame that no one wants to accept responsibility for their actions anymore in this country.
Jack Burton,
The dog was on the owner’s property not on public land. I don’t think leashing dogs on private property is necessary or practical.
There was no evidence of any threat to the police officer. Even if there was he could have fled and had an obligation to do so rather than use lethal force as the first resort. He was after all on private property on non essential business. If you enter private propert uninvated and a dog behaves aggressively towards you then that should surely be taken as if it were a demand from the owner that you leave. But as I said there is no evidence of any threat.
You seem to be looking for excuses for the inexcusable. You want thuggish police because they make you feel safe and do not believe that their thuggery could ever be directed against you. If they harm innocent victims then you look for ways to blame their victims. You assume authority is the same as righteousness because you cannot bear the thought that authority could be in the wrong. You indulge in willful blindness where wrongdoing under colour if law is concerned. In short you are a moral coward.
Jack Burton — The dog was on the woman’s private property, in her drive way. It was not “in public.”
Jack Burton-
So, if you have a gun, its OK to use it? These guys are supposed to be better trained than that. Yes, we are Monday morning quarterbacking because that is what a responsible citizenry does. We hold our public officials accountable.
Besides, the dog was on her property, therefore the leash law doesn’t apply. I have had dogs all my life, and I understand my rights and responsibilities.
My follow up to my post #127.
I couldn’t find a “leash law” for the are in question. I could find my state’s “leash law.” Here is what it says:
“According to Title 7, section. 3911 it is “unlawful for any dog… to be at large, except when used for hunting.” “At large” is defined at Title 7, section 3907, sub-section 6. It does not specify that a dog has to be on a leash. Municipalities can enact local ordinances requiring dogs to be on leashes.”
Too often, people assume that these laws requires the dog to actually be on a leash. Absolutely not true. Most use terminology such as “at large” or “restrained”. This can be restrained by a fence, invisible fence, verbal commands/training, etc. This means that since my dogs are tagged and on my property, they have more rights than you, or anyone else, to be there. Don’t assume that because I am not holding a leash that they are scofflaws.
So I am a k-9 unit. My dog does not show teeth or wag her tail a certain direction when she is going to bite. Come on people the tape is edited. the dog WAS barking and growling and it doesn’t even have a tail to wag. Dogs don’t growl when they are going to bite. Also would you turn ur back on a barking dog. Also I personally dont carry mace or a tazer. Shooting justified!!!!!!
Police always say things like this are justified.
What happened to responsible dog ownership?
http://books.google.com/books?id=JzSfyFJGglwC&pg=PA86&lpg=PA86&dq=airedale+vicious+dog&source=bl&ots=_6ansgZqKV&sig=4Gxshpwjl1uJ6K0tlLHD-E0dFkg&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=2&ct=result#PPA86,M1
Thanks Jesse! That is the same applicable law to the situation. It is unlawful to have an “animal at large”. I used the terminology of leash because that is what most people relate to, but the point is that if the dog bites someone in the driveway, the dog is still at large and the owner has then disobeyed the law.
Hey Lloyd, you can call me names all you want. That just gives me the knowledge that you are the type of person who only want to have the laws that you agree with to be enforced. You are the person that says that as long as no one is being harmed, then why obey the law. The law has been put in place because at least one person has been affected because of the lack of that law. Just because you disagree with it does not negate the legality of it. If you don’t like it and don’t want it enforced against you, then pick a better country.
Jack Burton-
“That is the same applicable law to the situation. It is unlawful to have an “animal at large”. I used the terminology of leash because that is what most people relate to, but the point is that if the dog bites someone in the driveway, the dog is still at large and the owner has then disobeyed the law. ”
That is actually not true. My dogs have the right to be on my property whether they are on a leash or not. If they bite you (and you did nothing to provoke them) I am still responsible, but I didn’t break the “leash law”.
John Adams: “Facts are stubborn things”. And the fact is, my dogs do NOT have to be on a leash on my property. Just because you want it another way doesn’t make it true.
JacK Burton,
I simply loathe cruelty. Evil done in the name of and through the law is still evil. Your reaction to an act of cruelty by someone who claimed the authority of the law as a justification was to excuse the cruelty. I found your judgmentalism and supressing of empathy for the victim to be reprehensible. I saw your words as those of someone with an excessive defference to authority out of an excessive expectation of security.
There is a prima facie obligation to obey the law but this is not absolute. If a law is outright evil, at least in the way that it is applied then you do not have moral right to enforce it. For the sake of clarity I will give an extreme examle. Slavery was enforced by the law but was evil. No one had a right to enforce the laws sanctioning slavery. Naturally few cases will be this clear but the principle stands.
Jesse, I do not know whether the law is enforced the same in Oklahoma as it is in Texas, but here in Texas, if your unsecured dog bites someone in the driveway, then the owner is liable for the bite. I suspect that it works the same in Oklahoma.
Lloyd, I respect your opinion for cruelty. As far as your opinion about my lack of sympathy for the dog owner, then I don’t really put much stock into it. You can see the law in your way and I can see the law in mine. One thing is for certain, the law is the law and if you don’t want to follow it, either change it or abandon the area where it can’t be enforced upon you. If you choose to be defiant, then don’t come crying foul when you are called on it.
http://www.theagitator.com/2006/12/27/the-flipside-of-puppycide/
The Flipside of Puppycide
Wednesday, December 27th, 2006
In Findlay, Ohio, a police officer allowed an official police dog to escape his property. The dog wandered a quarter mile to the home of a neighbor, where, according to the man how charged, it temporarily kept him and his young son trapped in their own car, on their own property. After managing to get out of the car and into the house, the man came back out with a gun to get his son out of the car. He says he felt threatened by the dog, and shot it once in the chest.
The local police department is now charging the man with felony assault, punishable by 5 years in prison. They’re also demanding the man pay $11,000 for the dog.
Pretty aggravating when you consider the callousness with which police sometimes treat others’ family pets.
> #131 | Jim March | October 30th, 2008 at 10:44 pm
> What happened to responsible dog ownership?
Jim, I admire the work you do at THR and BBV, but is there a point to the link you provided?
Anonymous,
The situation with the police dog shooting is really clear cut. The man managed to get out of his car to go into the house to retrieve a weapon to kill the dog. His son was not in any immediate danger. He was safely inside of the car. Let’s say for argument sake that the dog was “Cujo”; was the car not able to start? Could the man have not driven away from the home? Let’s say that the man just was an imbecile; did he not know how to use a telephone? Could he not have dialed 911 and called for police assistance? There are lots of documented cases of where a child as young as four years old dialling 911 when their parent or guardian was in need of medical assistance. The man was charged because he deserves to be charged. Before all of you start moaning and groaning, the police officer should be reprimanded for allowing his police dog to escape his supervision. There, now everything in the world is right.
That’s why they are called “pigs”…that’s what they are.
Just so everyone knows. There is a newly elected sheriff in Grady County who is actually PROMOTING this deputy. Art Kell is the newly elected sheriff who is making this clow head Investigator. The deputies name is Sean Knight. I would like for everyone to voice their problems with this move. 405-224-0984 is the Grady County Sheriffs Office. Let Sheriff Art Kell or new UnderSheriff Jim Weir know how you feel. They both start November 24th!!!!
I just called the sheriff’s office today. I spoke to a deputy who told me that the officer didn’t have time to get back in the car and that the u tube video was edited. He said the officer didn’t get in trouble because he didn’t do anything wrong. Tell me how shooting an airdale terrier isn’t wrong. Absolutely incredible.
[...] It would seem that plenty of people agree with this expansion of zero-tolerance. I had no idea that Deputy Knight was [...]
I don’t believe that most (any?) small towns or rural counties in Oklahoma demand or PAY for pre-employment psychological testing of hew hires. Once on, they are rewarded for anti-social conduct (extreme aggression, etc) and it shows up indirectly in the divorce/spouse abuse rate. Since the usual “victims” are marginal folks, no one inquires.
Actually Pre employment pysch exams our required by Oklahoma Law