Posted on 08/22/2009 4:26:09 PM PDT by apillar
ATHENS Ohio (WSAZ) -- Barking up the wrong tree -- that's what some say one man did when he threatened a local police dog. But, it's what happened after the comment that's got some people biting and others scratching their heads.
“In response to the dismissal, it’s a doggone shame,” said Robert Toy, an Athens defense attorney.
Toy is amusing himself with a case he says has gone to the dogs.
“It’s a silly charge,” he said.
“We take this charge very seriously,” Athens County Sheriff Pat Kelly said.
The incident started at a construction site across the street from the sheriff's department in downtown Athens. That's where Mark Isaac and another construction worker made comments about Esko, the Athens County Sheriff's drug dog.
“The one construction worker said to my client, ‘That dog is coming to get you.’ My client, who was about 150 feet away on the second floor, made a comment back,” Toy said.
“He said, ‘I’m going to kill that dog’ and the deputy overheard him,” Kelly said.
“The deputy walked across the street and arrested my client, charged him with a felony and put him in jail,” Toy said.
“Esko is an officer of the law and you can’t threaten any kind of officer whether they be a person or a dog. My deputy felt a real threat was being made against his dog, who is a police dog, and so he consulted with the prosecutor and they agreed charges need to be filed against him,” Kelly said.
Isaac, who is 37, was charged with aggravated menacing -- a felony punishable by a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. He's free on a $5,000 bond. Kelly said the case was dismissed in municipal court, but could go to the grand jury. Toy said if that happened, an interpreter might be needed.
“Under the constitution, I would have the right to interview the witness, in this case, Esko the dog. I’ve submitted a motion for an interpreter, my dog, Elbee the Doggie. I know when he wants to go for a walk because he brings me his leash. When he wants to play ball, he comes to me with his ball in his mouth,” Toy said.
“I don’t appreciate the attorney using humor in what is a very serious matter,” said Sheriff Kelly.
The sheriff said he's hoping Isaac receives some kind of charge. Late Friday afternoon, he found out why Isaac may have been angry at the dog. According to Athens City Police, one of their dogs happened to be searching his hotel room the night before and found an ounce of marijuana.
Kelly said he thinks Issac mistook Esko, the sheriff's dog for the city police dog and directed his anger toward him. We'll keep you posted on what happens.
I don’t know anything about that. Got a link?
Whose money do these union people spend for all the dog stuff like badges and full honor funerals and so on?
Taking just a quick look it seems that no charges were filed, I don’t know about the other two dogs that died in their canine unit but I get the impression no charges were filed in those deaths either.
The police dog must be on the payroll.
I’d like to hear from the dog himself on the stand if he felt threatened, and pull his personnel records to see what score he got on the test for his rank.
Animal control can come and take away my dog or yours based on a false charge from a neighbor and put the dog down... when cops stop making games out of shooting OUR dogs on sight when serving warrants and such then I’ll GIVE A SH*T ABOUT “OFFICER” DOGGIE.
Police dogs should only be used to find people in collapsed buildings. Using them for catching criminals is dumb and dangerous for the dogs. Criminals have guns. Dogs have teeth. Bullets are faster than teeth.
Too, funny…so he is really fulfilling his Ramadmadingdong obligations with the rich and famous how touching.
You have anger issues I am not able to help you with.
These 3 people are insane. They need to be in the loony bin.
Thanks. I read some of the articles, sounds like Jason Lewis is not out of the woods yet.
They also are used in bomb-sniffing, drug-sniffing, finding lost humans...
This is a spoof right?
Citizen status below a dog.
“Drug” sniffing is a useless waste of resources. People finding seems a legitimate use of the dogs.
Whatever.
It has been a month since the Chief announced no charges, it probably means that he is out of the woods but there may be some scrutiny because they are losing a lot of cops.
>”WDSU.com
updated 8:49 a.m. PT, Sat., July 25, 2009
NEW ORLEANS - WDSU .com
New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley said Wednesday that the officer in charge of the K-9 that died after being left inside a police car is not likely to face charges.”<
“””According to WWL-TV, Goyenche’s letter to Cannizzaro also asks that the office investigate the deaths of K-9 Phantom, who died after falling 18 floors down an elevator shaft in training exercise, and K-9 Carlos, who died from heart worms.”””
ROTFLMAO!!!
“It does require a lot of training for a canine to make the force and once sworn in, the canine is considered to be part of the force just like any human officer and they are accorded all privileges and benefits thereof.”
Just how do you swear in a dog? This doesn’t sound hokey. It sounds insane.
“Ohio Revised Code 2921.32.1.” is proof that Ohio has too many lawyers elected to too many offices.
Looks like too many animal whacko types, too.
I think a dog is an expensive, labor intensive tool for law enforcement and that there has to be severe felony penalties for blocking the dog doing it’s normal process (at least in most cases) and with out question to use deadly force to try and evade the dog from subduing you is an attack on the state similar to attacking an officer, but I do dislike it when they go too far in using human terms and imagery. I under stand the importance of ceremony and solemnity to maintain the difference between the status and position (and what it represents) of a police dog at work and the plain animal called a dog but police dogs do not need to be so humanized, after all we understand the status of a blind persons guide dog without going overboard.
However, the idea that a dog can be a “sworn law enforcement officer” is ridiculous in the face of it. Your point about guide dogs is well taken. They are useful and maybe even noble animals, but they are still animals and are considered property under the law.
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