Charges upgraded for teens accused of beheading puppies (1 Viewer)

[D.O.A.]

The charges against two Wilcox County teenagers, who are accused of beheading three stray puppies with a machete and posting video of it on social media, have been upgraded.

Ashley Johnston, 18, and his 17-year-old friend are now each charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of cruelty to a dog or cat in the first degree (torture). Both are Class C Felonies, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison. The identity of the juvenile hasn't been released due to his age.
Michael Jackson is the District Attorney for Alabama's 4th Judicial Circuit, which includes Wilcox County. He says the reason the teens no longer face misdemeanor animal cruelty charges is due to the horrific nature of the crime. His office has also filed a petition to charge the 17-year-old suspect as an adult.
"There is no excuse for killing three puppies and cutting their heads off. It's sad and outrageous," Jackson said. "We felt like given the horrific nature of these crimes, that these charges needed to be felonies."

Wilcox County Sheriff Earnest Evans said the initial investigation indicates Johnston used his cell phone to record the 17-year-old throwing the puppies in the air and killing them with a machete at a home on Highway 10 West near Camden. The incident happened last week.

http://www.wsfa.com/story/28358822/charges-upgraded-for-teens-accused-of-beheading-puppies

 

[Keka]

That level of pathological behavior can never be rehabilitated, I don't really care what "experts" say.

 

[Torque Button]

Ashley

Police officers in Alabama say 18-year-old Ashley Johnston and his unidentified 17-year-old friend created a puppy beheading video for Snapchat, where the latter teen tossed puppies into the air and cut off their heads with a machete. Sheriff Earnest Evans says the teens are being charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty since they were “just two kids being stupid,” but some believe the charges should be elevated to felony animal cruelty.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, a crucified cat a on cross was used as a cruel message in order to complain at a Christian church. Police halted a train to rescue a pit bull puppy that was shot and tied to the railroad tracks.

District Attorney Michael Jackson, of Alabama’s 4th Judicial Circuit, says a caller alerted them to the dog killing video on Snapchat. Investigators say that Ashley Johnston used his cell phone to record the puppy beheading video, but Sheriff Evans believes the teen’s actions didn’t sit well on his conscience. When Johnston confessed to the puppy killing, he seemed remorseful and emotional.

“It would be fair to say the 18-year-old confessed. He kind of owned it, took the photos, and he actually didn’t like it. The pictures were on social media for about 15 seconds,” Evans said, according to WSMV. “From the information that I have so far, this is just two kids being stupid.”

Both teenagers attend a private school called Wilcox Academy High School in Camden, Alabama. Both have good grades, and Johnston plays as a football wide receiver for the Wilcox Academy Wildcats in addition to being an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts.

A petition claims that the misdemeanor animal cruelty charges should be elevated to felony charges.

“They were proud of their evil act and now are acting remorseful. Their remorse is they were caught. The Sheriff is trying to sweep this under the rug calling it a prank. This type behavior is demented and sick and these two should be charged with felony animal cruelty charges. Studies show that people that abuse animals will abuse people. We have to be the voice to speak for these murdered animals.”

Alabama’s animal cruelty laws state that a “person commits a Class A misdemeanor if he or she… kills or injures without good cause any animal belonging to another,” but the law also provides for a Class C felony if “the act of cruelty or neglect involved the infliction of torture to the animal.” Charges of felony animal cruelty also apply if “he or she intentionally tortures any dog.”

Thus, the judge in this case will have to decide if beheading puppies with a machete legally constitutes torture or an act of cruelty. It’s possible a judge could be lenient based upon the teenagers’ prior history, but otherwise, Ashley Johnston and his friend may face years in prison.


Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1917148/as...ff-downplays-dog-killing/#D8xBqodIfhERH6EC.99

 

[Torque Button]

https://www.facebook.com/ashley.s.johnston

 

[Torque Button]

February 17, WTF

 

[Keka]

 

[rottenfresh]

How about a nice hefty fine or hours and hours of community service, but not fuckin years and years of jail time to mess they're records up. I am an animal lover but fuck, let's not lose our heads over this for fucks sake. Especially if they're remorseful.

 

[Béla Kiss]

How about a nice hefty fine or hours and hours of community service, but not fuckin years and years of jail time to mess they're records up.

I think jail time is fitting. A fine and some community service isn't gonna prevent their behaviour from escalating to something much worse. Throw 'em in jail and let the other cellmates "rehabilitate" them.

 

[rottenfresh]

I think jail time is fitting. A fine and some community service isn't gonna prevent their behaviour from escalating to something much worse. Throw 'em in jail and let the other cellmates "rehabilitate" them.

Is that also fitting if it was your kids going to jail? They're already remorseful, is it right put them in for ten, fifteen years for what they did? What they did was extremely bad, but c'mon. I don't think that they should be anally raped for it.

 

[Béla Kiss]

Is that also fitting if it was your kids going to jail? They're already remorseful, is it right put them in for ten, fifteen years for what they did? What they did was extremely bad, but c'mon. I don't think that they should be anally raped for it.

I don't have kids, but if I did they wouldn't be torturing animals.

 

[rottenfresh]

I don't have kids, but if I did they wouldn't be torturing animals.

How can you say what you're kids wouldn't be doing, if you're not around? You can teach to the best of your ability, give them every thing and then some, and still kids can do a bad thing. Kids do not think things through like adults. Shit, some adults don't either. It's always easier to say things like that when it's someone else's kid.

 

[Béla Kiss]

How can you say what you're kids wouldn't be doing, if you're not around? You can teach to the best of your ability, give them every thing and then some, and still kids can do a bad thing. Kids do not think things through like adults. Shit, some adults don't either. It's always easier to say things like that when it's someone else's kid.

I'm not even sure what to say to that. If you think that kids don't think things through like adults, and vice versa, it's a moot point.

 

[rottenfresh]

I'm not even sure what to say to that. If you think that kids don't think things through like adults, and vice versa, it's a moot point.

I don't know what moot means, but I think we both agree that what they did was wrong, and that they do need some sort of punishment . Good dialogue as always , B.K.!

 

[bootleg_bastard]

teens are high strung they should have used their youthful energies to attack ethnic minority groups thus maintaining the natural order of things instead their misguided aggression found stray animals.

In my humble opinion human life is worth more than that of a dumb animal so if i were in charge they'd be let of with a small warning.

 

[spaze]

OTE="Béla Kiss, post: 764770, member: 66204"]I think jail time is fitting. A fine and some community service isn't gonna prevent their behaviour from escalating to something much worse. Throw 'em in jail and let the other cellmates "rehabilitate" them.[/QUOTE]
Absolutely.

 

[spaze]

If I was doing time I would go out of my way to tune those pussies up.It would be worth a month in the hole.

 

[_Xtina_]

Shit like this is not a "prank" and not kids "being stupid."

Personally, I think the death penalty should apply to these two douche-bags.

 

[Venom]

These punks need swift and brutal justice. There remorseful that they got caught.

 

[Torque Button]

send their killer asses into the army

 

[Equal Hater]

I tend to agree they fucked up royally and deserve some jail time, but not 10+ years. I think a year from each incident should be just.