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CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #1453 Rating: 3.0 out of 5
Puppy beaten
Roswell, GA (US)Incident Date: Thursday, Nov 30, 2000
County: Fulton
Disposition: Convicted
Case Images: 2 files available
Defendants/Suspects:
» Thomas E. Spencer
» Bonnie June Wilson
Case Updates: 2 update(s) available
Police entered Spencer's home and reported they "heard a dog squealing in pain" and personally witnessed him "pounding the dog in the face again and again."
Spencer had the dog trapped between his legs and did not stop the beatings when the police entered his bedroom.
Police said the dog's eyes were swollen shut and bleeding. The bed, Spencer's pajamas and a nearby towel were all soaked with blood.
They confiscated the 4-month old pup and took him to a veterinarian. He was treated and then the police, unbelievably, returned the dog to Spencer several hours later.
They charged Spencer with only a misdemeanor violation. According to the police report, they were not aware the State of Georgia imposes felony charges for animal cruelty.
The dog then mysteriously disappeared... Meanwhile, neglect and incompetence had taken place.
First, the police officer did not know that animal cruelty is a felony and returned the battered dog to Spencer.
Apparently, he had called Animal Control to ask what to do with the dog.
In comes Animal Control's incompetence telling the police officer that "it" (the dog) is property and the officer should bring "it" back to the owner.
So the officer never takes the dog into protective custody, which later could have been used as evidence against Spencer.
The dog could have been sheltered by being "property of the state" until the case was heard. So, the police neglected to site Spencer with felony cruelty and terrorist threats -He told his girlfriend, Bonnie June Wilson he was going to kill her.
They instead cited Spencer with a local city violation. The case went to Magistrate court.
It should have gone to Superior court (felony court). Because of pressure from concerned citizens, the case, after the fact, gets moved up to a felony, as it was supposed to be in the first place. It was reported that Spencer and his girlfriend immediately acquired another puppy.
Please write to Judge Marvin S. Arrington and urge him to convict Spencer for felony animal cruelty and to serve jail time for his crimes.
Please send RESPECTFUL letters requesting a hearing date as soon as possible to:
The Honorable Marvin S. Arrington
Fulton County Superior Court
185 Central Ave., SW
Ste. T5655
Atlanta, GA 30303-3519
Phone: (404) 730-6907
Fax: (404) 730-6937
Email: [email protected]
Please FAX or Email ASAP since the court date is approaching
Case UpdatesThomas Spencer has received a 20-year sentence in the first felony animal-cruelty case in Fulton County history. Spencer, of Alpharetta, must serve five years of his sentence in prison and was barred from owning animals for 20 years, the district attorney's office announced Friday. Spencer also was ordered to see a psychiatrist.
In December 2000, Alpharetta police found Spencer on a bed with a 4-month-old German shepherd puppy wedged between his knees. He was punching the puppy in the head, and the animal's eyes were bleeding and swollen shut, police said.
Spencer had been beating the puppy throughout the day and threatening his girlfriend's life, police said.
Spencer pleaded guilty to a slew of charges Friday, including aggravated cruelty to animals, terroristic threats, arson, threatening a witness, driving with a suspended license and possession of cocaine. | Source: Access North Georgia - April 16, 2005
Update posted on Apr 16, 2005 - 7:08AM |
| Spencer has been on the run from these charges, and many, many more, for several years. However, he was captured on June 1st, 2004. His arraignment is on the calendar for Thursday, November 4, 2004 at 9am at Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Last Chance for Animals
Update posted on Oct 31, 2004 - 12:15PM |
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