Anti Federalist
09-12-2011, 12:12 PM
What, did you click on this thinking some dog shooting cop finally got served some justice?
Silly...
That only applies to us Mundanes, who go to jail for shooting a dog under questionable circumstances.
Eagle Point man gets jail for shooting dog
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110908/NEWS/109080311
September 08, 2011
By Mat Wolf
Mail Tribune
An Eagle Point man who shot a dog in a Walmart parking lot with a CO2-powered BB gun was sentenced to more than four months in jail for the crime.
Joseph Gima, 46, was sentenced to four months and 10 days in jail in addition to two years' probation for first-degree aggravated animal abuse and second-degree criminal mischief. He pleaded guilty to the two charges Wednesday morning in Jackson County Circuit Court and was sentenced by Judge Benjamin Bloom.
Prosecutors alleged that on Jan. 18, Gima shot a 5-year-old yellow lab mix named Etta two times at point-blank range — once through her right eye and then in the neck — at the Walmart store in Eagle Point. A third shot missed the dog. Etta, whose owner, Renee Parent-Lewis of Eagle Point, was in the store, survived but was nearly blinded.
A Jackson County grand jury indicted Gima on Jan. 25 on an additional count of first-degree animal abuse, but that charge was later dropped.
Surveillance camera footage shown in court on Wednesday showed Gima arriving at the Walmart parking lot, leaving his vehicle and approaching Etta, who was in the back of her owner's unoccupied pickup truck. Gima later claimed that the dog bit him, but the footage only shows the dog wagging its tail and Gima walking away.
Footage from inside the store then shows Gima purchasing groceries and the weapon that he would use to attack the dog.
Later parking-lot footage shows Gima going to his truck, unloading groceries and sitting in his parked vehicle for about 10 minutes before calmly walking over to Etta and shooting the animal at point-blank range. The dog can be seen recoiling from the shots.
Gima reportedly remained in the area after the incident and was later confronted by Parent-Lewis. He initially denied responsibility for the shooting but was arrested and lodged in the Jackson County Jail on Jan. 19. Police said that Gima later admitted to the shooting but claimed the dog had been vicious and attacked him.
Bloom said that viewing the footage convinced him that Gima had time to consider his actions before he shot Etta.
During sentencing, Gima issued a brief apology to the victims of his crime, and said that he was an animal lover himself. As part of his sentence Gima is not allowed to own a domestic animal for 15 years.
Gima and his attorney, Vance Waliser, left the courtroom immediately following the proceedings and neither could be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Gima is slated to report to jail on Sept. 14.
Parent-Lewis said she felt the verdict could have gone further, but thought the judge was fair. She was present during sentencing and became emotional during the showing of the surveillance footage.
"It was shocking; it brought it all back," she later said.
Charles Garner, a friend of Parent-Lewis, made a brief statement in court and said he felt shooting the dog was nearly the same as shooting a family member.
"We don't consider them pets; these are our kids," he said.
Parent-Lewis later said that it was the first time she had seen the footage and she felt Gima's apology was less then sincere.
"He was just saying it for the judge," Parent-Lewis said. "It wasn't for me."
Parent-Lewis said Etta had recovered but still had impaired vision in her eye.
"Etta is definitely part of my family," Parent-Lewis said.
Before delivering the sentence, Bloom seemed to agree.
"Domestic animals, especially dogs, have a special place in our society," Bloom said. "We don't shoot them."
Silly...
That only applies to us Mundanes, who go to jail for shooting a dog under questionable circumstances.
Eagle Point man gets jail for shooting dog
http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110908/NEWS/109080311
September 08, 2011
By Mat Wolf
Mail Tribune
An Eagle Point man who shot a dog in a Walmart parking lot with a CO2-powered BB gun was sentenced to more than four months in jail for the crime.
Joseph Gima, 46, was sentenced to four months and 10 days in jail in addition to two years' probation for first-degree aggravated animal abuse and second-degree criminal mischief. He pleaded guilty to the two charges Wednesday morning in Jackson County Circuit Court and was sentenced by Judge Benjamin Bloom.
Prosecutors alleged that on Jan. 18, Gima shot a 5-year-old yellow lab mix named Etta two times at point-blank range — once through her right eye and then in the neck — at the Walmart store in Eagle Point. A third shot missed the dog. Etta, whose owner, Renee Parent-Lewis of Eagle Point, was in the store, survived but was nearly blinded.
A Jackson County grand jury indicted Gima on Jan. 25 on an additional count of first-degree animal abuse, but that charge was later dropped.
Surveillance camera footage shown in court on Wednesday showed Gima arriving at the Walmart parking lot, leaving his vehicle and approaching Etta, who was in the back of her owner's unoccupied pickup truck. Gima later claimed that the dog bit him, but the footage only shows the dog wagging its tail and Gima walking away.
Footage from inside the store then shows Gima purchasing groceries and the weapon that he would use to attack the dog.
Later parking-lot footage shows Gima going to his truck, unloading groceries and sitting in his parked vehicle for about 10 minutes before calmly walking over to Etta and shooting the animal at point-blank range. The dog can be seen recoiling from the shots.
Gima reportedly remained in the area after the incident and was later confronted by Parent-Lewis. He initially denied responsibility for the shooting but was arrested and lodged in the Jackson County Jail on Jan. 19. Police said that Gima later admitted to the shooting but claimed the dog had been vicious and attacked him.
Bloom said that viewing the footage convinced him that Gima had time to consider his actions before he shot Etta.
During sentencing, Gima issued a brief apology to the victims of his crime, and said that he was an animal lover himself. As part of his sentence Gima is not allowed to own a domestic animal for 15 years.
Gima and his attorney, Vance Waliser, left the courtroom immediately following the proceedings and neither could be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon. Gima is slated to report to jail on Sept. 14.
Parent-Lewis said she felt the verdict could have gone further, but thought the judge was fair. She was present during sentencing and became emotional during the showing of the surveillance footage.
"It was shocking; it brought it all back," she later said.
Charles Garner, a friend of Parent-Lewis, made a brief statement in court and said he felt shooting the dog was nearly the same as shooting a family member.
"We don't consider them pets; these are our kids," he said.
Parent-Lewis later said that it was the first time she had seen the footage and she felt Gima's apology was less then sincere.
"He was just saying it for the judge," Parent-Lewis said. "It wasn't for me."
Parent-Lewis said Etta had recovered but still had impaired vision in her eye.
"Etta is definitely part of my family," Parent-Lewis said.
Before delivering the sentence, Bloom seemed to agree.
"Domestic animals, especially dogs, have a special place in our society," Bloom said. "We don't shoot them."