State v. Willie Powell, Jr., a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Judge Ronald Adrine sentenced Powell to serve 6 months in jail for the neglect of his four dogs, the maximum penalty for a first degree misdemeanor. Powell was previously convicted of attempted dog fighting in 2002. In this case, Powell’s…
State v. Jose DeJesus, a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. DeJesus was found guilty of three counts of animal neglect related to the care of birds kept on his property. DeJesus had 80-100 birds on his property, mostly chickens. Most of the birds were being kept in filthy conditions, and without…
State v. Joshua Maldonado, a case we prosecuted for the Cleveland Animal Protective League. Maldonado was found guilty of one count of animal cruelty, a first degree misdemeanor, for the injury to his dog “Diamond.” In this case, witnesses reported either seeing or hearing the Defendant beat Diamond. When the APL responded to the complaints,…
HB 274 “Goddard’s Law” has been assigned to the Ohio Senate Agriculture Committee. A sponsor hearing must be scheduled for this Bill to move on. HB 274: • Prohibits any person from knowingly causing “serious physical harm” to a companion animal. • Enhances the penalty for any person knowingly torturing, tormenting, needlessly mutilating or maiming,…
State v. David Scott, a case we prosecuted for the Brunswick Hills Police Department. David Scott shot and killed a dog named Patches with a pellet gun. Patches was trespassing on his property, but the dog was at least 60 feet away from him and was in the act of departing the property. Scott claims that…
Today Mike McIntyre of WCPN 90.3’s program The Sound of Ideas hosted a discussion on Goddard’s Law, Ohio H.B. 274. Attorney J. Jeffrey Holland, who drafted the initial Bill, was a featured guest. Courtesy of WCPN 90.3, this program can be heard using the player below.
Here is a summary of proposed Ohio House Bill 274: Holland & Muirden’s Summary of Goddard’s Law “M” stands for misdemeanor. “F” stands for felony. In the state of Ohio, misdemeanors and felonies are categorized by degrees. Punishments for each degree are limited by Ohio law. A felony of the fifth degree carries a maximum…