Verdict Reached in Dog Road Rage Case

[Rick Stephens]

San Jose, Cal., 2:43 EDT June 19,2001--A San Jose jury convicted Andrew Burnett of animal crulety for tossing a little white dog into traffic to its death.

The jury deliberated for about 45 minutes Tuesday morning. Burnett could be sentenced to as much as three years in prison.

Burnett was convicted of killing a bichon frise named Leo, following a minor traffic accident with the car driven by the dogs owner.

The dogs owner claimed that after the fender bender, Burnett reached throught the open car window with both arms and grabbed the dog.

But Burnett's attorney says his client instictively snached the dog from the car after being bitten on the hand.

Today(7-13-01) he was sentenced to the maximum sentence under California state law. Three years in the state prison.

For those little dog haters, I used to be one of you. I thought little fluff dogs were worthless and only good for companionship for homebound elderly. My idea was if a dog isn't big enough to catch a frisbee or ball, it's of no use to me. I had labs and golden retrievers until my g/f bought a Maltese. When properly trained (not to yip all day), this one is actually a ball of fun with a great personality. I never thought I could be swayed like this, but in the past year, my attitude has completely changed.

[Logical]

Dan,

Though I respect your opinion, it seems to me sentimental value can never be compensated for and it should not be a goal. First it cannot truly be measured, heck an owner could actually hate their pet and yet claim it was a member of the family and their precious baby. Who could prove otherwise.

I do agree as stated below that the reason for sticking his arm into the car in the first place is a central question.

Either way I stick with the replacement cost for the dog, paying for obedience training and community service in an animal shelter as stated in below

[QUOTE]If the guy has done what is said and he is completely guilty, make him buy the owner a new dog, make him pay for the dog receiving proper obedience training so that new dog will not bite anyone whether the old one did or not is not the point. Then make the guy do Public Service in an animal shelter for some period of time. It is more likely to have a positive effect on him than sending him to jail with true criminals who rape, murder, steal. It is a proven fact that jail is a great training ground to take someone from a petty criminal to hardened criminal in no time. Seems counter productive over an animal.[/QUOTE]

[BIG_DADDY]

[QUOTE]Seems to me the guy ought to buy the dog owner a replacement dog and that would be the end of it, maybe a probationary period in the event he had a history of animal cruelty. [/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]My God it is just a dog, why did this even need to go to court? [/QUOTE]

You must not own a dog. My dog is not expendible and cannot be replaced at all. He is a member of the family. (as someone else has already stated) I will defend him as if you had thrown any other member of my family into traffic to their death.

The entire bay area was looking for this guy after the incident and if he HAD been bitten I am sure he would have come forward instead of fleeing from the scene. He would of had to have been living in a cave to have not known everyone was looking for him. Furthermore, he had no scar or record of medical treatment for said biting incident. I also do not buy that it is a natural reaction after being bitten to reach back in the car, risking getting bitten again to throw the dog into traffic. His defense is weak and he deserves what he gets at the very least. Like I said before, his sentence would be the least of his worries had he done that to BIG DADDY'S dog.

[Clint in Wichita]

Anyone that buys a fuggin' bichon frise is asking for it. Crappy little rats!

If you're walking through my yard, be careful. If you step on my baby....I mean pet earthworm, you just might end up getting raped in prison!!

[BIG_DADDY]

Clint,

BTW, I have an English Bulldog not a frizzy whatever. Are you suggesting that her choice of dog should be held against her?

[Logical]

Big Daddy,

I have had pets all through my childhood and again for my kids. Currently I am not a pet owner.

However, thank goodness my whole life I was taught an animal is an animal, it is property and it has its uses. I was taught that you never elevate any animal to the level of a human. Our society is so screwed up that many people place animals ahead of humans. I have long since lost my tolerance for such foolishness. It is fine to love an animal, but to use the criminal justice system to protect one is just plain silliness and a waste of resources. A civil trial with penalties would be fine, I was I believe first in suggesting the guy get community service at an animal shelter to possibly help him with his problem. I will not stand down on the idea that using the criminal justice system is an abuse and waste of taxpayers money over an animal.

If this offends you it is not my intent, it is what I believe and how I was raised. Peace.

[Rick Stephens]

Today in this case Andrew Burnett was sentenced to the maximum under California law, three years in the state pen. There was justice for Leo. He was deemed to be a danger to the community. Plus he was involved in a similar incident while in the navy.

WAY TOO FRIGGIN MUCH FOR A D-O-G.....and Bingo was his name-o.


make meth----probation
kill a dog.....prison.

[WisChief]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Clint in Wichita [/i]
[B]Anyone that buys a fuggin' bichon frise is asking for it. Crappy little rats!

If you're walking through my yard, be careful. If you step on my baby....I mean pet earthworm, you just might end up getting raped in prison!! [/B][/QUOTE]


Dang - I can't stop laugh'n!!! You kill me!!! :D

ROTFLMFAO!!!!

[Michael Michigan]

-Jim's Quote-

"make him pay for the dog receiving proper obedience training so that new dog will not bite anyone"

That's the dog's gig. His work...his livelihood.

He gets food, water, love and you throw him a friggin' bone every once in a while and in exchange he defends you to his death.

He bites, scratches, claws, whatever he needs to do to protect his master.

Sure he was a little mop dog owned by a gal who seems to be whacked out, but he died protecting her.

Good dog.

No wonder you have such an attitude about animals, you don't understand their worth.

[KCWolfman]

Let me preface my comments by stating that I own several animals. Probably more than most of you.

I think it would be a travesty of justice if a man went to prison for killing a dog in a fit of rage. I don't advocate what he did (although some of you will undoubtedly attempt to paint my response that way), but there is no animal on this planet that is worth three years of a human being's life. Fact is that I would kill my dogs, your dogs, and every stray I found to save the life of one solitary human being. There is no argument that can be made to convince me that a dog, a cat, a dolphin, a seal, a bird, etc. is as important as a person.

Strictly because one person prizes an animal to eccentric proportions is not a reason to lock a man up. In fact, if the man were locked up it would not be due to the fact that an animal was killed, but rather that a person was attached to that animal. Thus we are jailing a man because someone's feelings were hurt. That is a ridiculous reason to lock a person in a prison.

Sue him, force him to counselling, make him clean up roadsides. But jailing him is the pentultimate politically correct thing to do - no substance, only feeling.

[Rick Stephens]

Wolfman,

Today he got the maximum under California state law. He will be spending three years in prison. That's the sentence, he may get parole late next year. He got what he asked for by tossing the dog to it's death.

[KCWolfman]

Rick - So a precendent is set. But hardly complete. Do you believe that he will not contest the verdict?

And does this mean that anyone who kills an animal deserves to be locked up for three years?

Finally, you gleefully announce his incarceration yet avoid all my points on the topic. You prove positive that this is not about an animal at all, but rather a person's feelings toward that animal.

[DanT]

I think putting the guy in jail following a fit of rage is perfectly appropriate, even if all he had done was to throw a $600 piece of pottery into traffic. Property-destroying and threatening hotheads like that don't need to be out in the general population, as far as I'm concerned.

The fact that he was in a fit of rage isn't an excuse. If anything, it's an aggravating circumstance. What the hell was he so mad about, that his truck got bumped? Because the idiot wasn't able to control himself, he increased the chance of something bad happening to others--other drivers, responding police officers, and pedestrians have better things to do than to have this dumbass's drama infringe on their lives. The stupid punk, having a conniption over something stupid like a low-speed traffic accident.

3 years jail time for a dog? that judge needs to shot to death.