suki Moderator
Number of posts : 405 Age : 115 Location : North Shore, Boston, Mass. Registration date : 2007-03-05
| Subject: Dog Fighter Cleared Of Charges Thu Feb 14, 2008 3:48 am | |
| Accused dogfighter cleared of charges Neighbor claimed man was fighting pit bulls in yard BY ALAN RIQUELMY - ariquelmy@ledger-enquirer.com -- A Columbus man accused of dogfighting had the charge tossed out Tuesday by a Muscogee County grand jury.
Shawn Lee Long, 33, of GA., was arrested Aug. 25 and charged with dogfighting and cruelty to animals after neighbor Myra Hunter called police when she claimed she saw dogs fighting in his front yard. Long was arrested in the days following, but a grand jury decided this week to "no bill" the dogfighting charge.
The cruelty to animals charge wasn't presented to the grand jury; Assistant District Attorney Crawford Seals said it was redundant.
"It was just a mistake on the part of the person who called it in," said David Battles, who was in Long's yard helping pull two dogs apart when one of them ran toward the other. "I think dogfighting was a big deal at the time. I hate that he's had to fork out lots of money."
Long's case was bound over to Muscogee County Superior Court on Aug. 27 and was given a $10,500 bond.
When officers arrived at Long's home Aug. 25, they found an uninjured brown pit bull tied up by the front porch. Another brown pit bull, whose mouth was torn and bleeding, was found in the backyard, the officers reported.
Long came out the back door of his house and told officers he didn't have any identification for the dogs.
At his Columbus Recorder's Court hearing, Hunter said she couldn't identify Long as one of the men in the front yard. Officer Delante Odom told the judge he didn't think the dogs' injuries were accidents.
"I feel fine," Seals said of the no bill. "I love dogs, but it was just a case where a woman claims she saw dogs fighting in someone's front yard. There was no evidence of money exchanging hands, (or) a fighting pit."
Seals said he had no plans to try to reindict the case.
Battles said he wants people to know that not everyone who owns a pit bull fights them.
"Get to know the person," he said. "Get to know the animal." | |
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pitmamma Moderator
Number of posts : 1414 Age : 104 Location : Off in the Woods Registration date : 2007-06-22
| Subject: Re: Dog Fighter Cleared Of Charges Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:25 am | |
| I am so glad he was cleared, but he is already out so much money and time...The last statement is so true...
Battles said he wants people to know that not everyone who owns a pit bull fights them.
"Get to know the person," he said. "Get to know the animal." | |
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lovemypits Admin
Number of posts : 1708 Age : 46 Location : Wisconsin Registration date : 2007-03-30
| Subject: Re: Dog Fighter Cleared Of Charges Thu Feb 14, 2008 5:55 pm | |
| I agree Tami. That is why the Vick thing is a double edged sword. It's great people are stepping up and reporting dog fighting but I am sure, as this story shows, there will be wrongful charges. I often wonder what my neighbors think of my dogs outside when they play. The two on the side know my dogs... but the ones behind me don't I see them watching out their windows at us. We all know that our dogs love to play, and play hard! I would hate for someone to think they were fighting for real and call the police. | |
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SouthernStylePits
Number of posts : 164 Age : 37 Location : Panama City, Florida Registration date : 2008-01-12
| Subject: Re: Dog Fighter Cleared Of Charges Fri Feb 15, 2008 1:32 am | |
| I understand! My dogs play hard and loud too, and our neighbor has actually called Animal Control so many times that the sheriff said we could press harassment charges, but it's all because they play so hard. I wondered if it was just my dogs or if everyone else's dogs played that rough. Too many people have the wrong idea about Pit owners! | |
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CoolHandJean
Number of posts : 285 Age : 40 Location : NC Registration date : 2007-11-02
| Subject: Re: Dog Fighter Cleared Of Charges Fri Feb 15, 2008 9:25 pm | |
| yeah, my dogs play rough as well. My neighbors are a little bit away, but they seem to mind their own business. | |
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lovemypits Admin
Number of posts : 1708 Age : 46 Location : Wisconsin Registration date : 2007-03-30
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