Other Turtle Discussion :: When you thought china town was bad enough...

[marydairy15]

It upsets me that the punishment never seems to fit the crime. If the goal is to keep something like this from happening again, it seems to me that he should be sentenced to work in a humane society with abused and neglected animals or a rehabilitation center for wild animals (under constant direct supervision, obviously) so he could maybe learn a little about what abuse can do to an animal, and that there are people out there working very hard to try to stop animal cruelty. Paying a fine and spending a few nights in jail is probably going to do nothing but make him bitter.

[JadePLightning]

I agree mary. Maybe a bit of hands on experiance will give them a swift kick in the head on reality.

[Jayqualin]

Teenager gets jail for turtle burning
By Andrea Domaskin, The Forum
Published Tuesday, September 19, 2006

A Hawley, Minn., teen will spend time in jail for his role in burning a snapping turtle.

Joel Charles Ross, 18, was sentenced Monday in Clay County District Court to a combination of up to 10 days in jail, community service and fines.

He pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty for an incident that captured the attention of online viewers and animal rights activists around the world.

In late May, Ross and two juveniles videotaped themselves dousing a snapping turtle with gasoline and lighting it on fire twice.

They were discovered after someone sent Hawley police an e-mail with a link to the video.

Fisher asked Judge Michael Kirk to impose fines and community service but not jail time, saying Ross and his family had suffered enough.

Ross told Kirk he feels bad for his actions and knows they were wrong. He said his family has been affected, including a brother serving in Iraq.

“He’s upset and probably thinks a lot less of me right now,” Ross said.

Ross said he had planned to sign up for the National Guard to do military police work. “Now I can’t, because of this,” he said.

Kirk said he wanted to see more empathy from Ross toward the animal. He sentenced Kirk to 90 days in jail, with 80 days suspended for two years and a $1,000 fine with $500 suspended for two years.

Ross is to serve five days in jail next month during a break from high school. If he completes 50 hours of community service by Dec. 15, he won’t have to serve the remaining five days over the holiday break.

He may also do community service to reduce $400 from his fine.

Ross was also sentenced to six months of supervised probation and ordered to take part in a restorative justice program.

Hawley city prosecutor Kevin Miller said he was comfortable with the sentence.

“It wasn’t too much different than what we had asked for,” Miller said.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Andrea Domaskin at (701) 241-5556


Its horrible what people do these days .If i was the judge id give him the death penalty.

Serves them right.