Posted on 12/19/2002 7:12:51 PM PST by Dallas
NEW YORK --
A man who threw his girlfriend's dog off her 23rd-floor balcony was sentenced Thursday to 12 years in prison for animal cruelty and other charges related to stalking the woman.
John Jefferson, 43, pleaded guilty Dec. 5 to robbery, burglary, stalking, criminal contempt and animal cruelty. The judge said two of the 12 years were for the dog, Ribsy.
"I've had pets all my life," Justice James Yates said. "I was just as sickened as anyone else when I read the stories."
The judge also ordered five years of parole supervision for Jefferson and signed an order of protection that directs him to stay away from ex-girlfriend Eugenia Miller for the next 17 years.
Jefferson tossed the 16-year-old black and white terrier-poodle mix to its death on May 26 during an argument with Miller. Ribsy landed in the concrete plaza below and died instantly.
Jefferson also barricaded himself inside the apartment and threatened Miller with a knife, police said at the time.
"I am sorry," Jefferson said in court Thursday. "I was totally messed up, emotionally disturbed. I just lost it."
Jefferson pleaded guilty to burglary in connection with his forcible entry into the apartment, and his plea to the robbery charge was for a May 22 knifepoint holdup. The stalking charge arose from his harassment of Miller earlier.
Jefferson's lawyer, Russell Paisley, said his client's actions were those of someone under the influence of drugs.
So many seem to have jumped from the headline into the frying pan.
Jeffrey Dahmer started out crucifying animals and wound up eating humans.
The perp in this case claims to have "lost it"--lost what?
He might have killed the woman had police not intervened.
Rather than work and be taxed to pay his room and board, weight room and phone sex bills, color teevee and law library, it would have been more succinct for SWAT to have made him part of the patio 23 floors below.
Animal abuse? It's taxpayer abuse.
Shocked that the blind man was also going to jump, Bob struck up a conversation, expressing his admiration for the man's courage.
Then, curious, he asked, "How do you know when the ground is getting close and you need to pull the ripcord?" "Easy," replied the blind man. "The leash goes slack."
Which is why people shouldn't do drugs. But Jefferson is still responsible for his actions while under the influence of drugs. Lock him up.
Oy.
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