Misdemeanor versus felony
With all the advancements being made toward prosecuting animal abusers, when I receive a note like the following, it tends to make me think we just went two steps back.
Please read the following note I got and if it angers you as much as it does me, please send an appropriate response to the person in charge.
This is the note I got:
Hello Everyone,
http://floridatoday.com/article/20090321/NEWS01/903210323/1086
On Feb 10th, a 12 week old beagle puppy was found still alive in a trash bin in Melbourne. His owner, Daniel Ham, reportedly stuck a sock in his mouth and placed him in a garbage bag. Police originally charged Ham with felony animal cruelty, which was a good move on their part. However, the State Attorney, Norman Wolfinger, has decided to only file a misdemeanor charge of animal abandonment. "We cannot in good faith file a charge we cannot prove," Assistant State Attorney Wayne Holmes said to the Florida Today. **This brings back memories of what his office told us in the Abrams case. It was the same justification for charging Abrams with only a misdemeanor instead of a felony. According to the Fl Today: "But prosecutors said witnesses could not provide evidence to support the felony charge, which requires evidence of unnecessary pain and suffering or excessive and repeated infliction of such treatment."AND:"There's no showing that he intentionally inflicted any harm, but you can make the argument that he abandoned it," said Doug Reynolds, misdemeanor supervisor at the Brevard public defender's office. "So I guess they're (prosecutors) believing part of his statement but not all of it."If this bothers you, or if you feel the People of Brevard deserve a better explanation as to why this is being charged as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, please write or call Mr. Wolfinger at:State Attorney's OfficeBrevard Government Center Complex2725 Judge Fran Jamieson WayBuilding DViera, Florida 32940(321) 617-7510(on a side note, Judge McKibben is presiding over this case. She is the same Judge from the Ella case.)Together, We Can Make a Difference.....Be a Voice Against Cruelty.HollyFounder, "Voices"www.VoicesForElla.org
Please read the following note I got and if it angers you as much as it does me, please send an appropriate response to the person in charge.
This is the note I got:
Hello Everyone,
http://floridatoday.com/article/20090321/NEWS01/903210323/1086
On Feb 10th, a 12 week old beagle puppy was found still alive in a trash bin in Melbourne. His owner, Daniel Ham, reportedly stuck a sock in his mouth and placed him in a garbage bag. Police originally charged Ham with felony animal cruelty, which was a good move on their part. However, the State Attorney, Norman Wolfinger, has decided to only file a misdemeanor charge of animal abandonment. "We cannot in good faith file a charge we cannot prove," Assistant State Attorney Wayne Holmes said to the Florida Today. **This brings back memories of what his office told us in the Abrams case. It was the same justification for charging Abrams with only a misdemeanor instead of a felony. According to the Fl Today: "But prosecutors said witnesses could not provide evidence to support the felony charge, which requires evidence of unnecessary pain and suffering or excessive and repeated infliction of such treatment."AND:"There's no showing that he intentionally inflicted any harm, but you can make the argument that he abandoned it," said Doug Reynolds, misdemeanor supervisor at the Brevard public defender's office. "So I guess they're (prosecutors) believing part of his statement but not all of it."If this bothers you, or if you feel the People of Brevard deserve a better explanation as to why this is being charged as a misdemeanor instead of a felony, please write or call Mr. Wolfinger at:State Attorney's OfficeBrevard Government Center Complex2725 Judge Fran Jamieson WayBuilding DViera, Florida 32940(321) 617-7510(on a side note, Judge McKibben is presiding over this case. She is the same Judge from the Ella case.)Together, We Can Make a Difference.....Be a Voice Against Cruelty.HollyFounder, "Voices"www.VoicesForElla.org
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