Author Topic: Deputy Shoots Dog: Overkill or Self Defense? (Read 847 times)

FWiedner · « **on:** January 31, 2005, 03:40:04 AM »

Deputy Shoots Dog: Overkill or Self Defense?

byMarcia Hill

Lisa Raymond and her family buried more than just a dog Friday. They said goodbye to a beloved member of the family.

The pit bull was gunned down by a deputy during a drug roundup Tuesday.

"They said, 'We had to kill your dog' and I was upset, you know, because they didn't have to kill him. I know they got tranquilizers. They could have shot him with a tranquilizer and put him down."

No one was home when officers arrived. Raymond's neighbors called her at work telling her something was happening.

"They just kicked the door in and started shooting," neighbor Candace Lizana recalls.

"No, I didn't see the dog, didn't hear the dog or anything. And he's a docile animal. He's the kids' pet and that's why he's in the home."

Officers had a search warrant and an arrest warrant for Raymond's husband, Wallace Haynes. He's accused of one charge of selling crack cocaine. They found no drugs inside the house. Haynes was arrested that afternoon and bonded out of jail.

He says say his dog was inside protecting the house.

"He did the same thing any dog would've done when somebody just kicks the door in. They kicked my door in and started shooting before anybody's feet arrived in my house," says Haynes.

The couple breeds and sells pit bulls. Sheriff George Payne says officers knew the couple has dogs and warning signs are posted on the property. Payne says the deputy shot the dog after it charged at him.

"I'm sorry that we had to shoot the dog. We had intelligence that there were weapons inside the trailer and we found a weapon in the trailer, a gun."

Payne says officers delayed going into the mobile home to ensure the couple's children had left for school.

According to the sheriff, Wallace Haynes has a drug history dating back to 1993 and has served time at Parchman.

The sheriff also tells us Lisa Raymond was arrested in October for one count of prescription drug forgery. That charge is still pending.

And Payne says more charges are possible in this most recent case.

http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=2872978

Shorty · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2005, 02:40:32 PM »

L O L ! :lol: :lol:
Such nice people and their poor "docile" little puppy! What a travesty!
Next time, maybe everybody will be home, when they "kick in the door and start shooting".

Siskiyou · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2005, 04:46:41 PM »

A good shooting!

mjbgalt · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2005, 02:49:59 AM »

yeah, i believe since the dog is an agent of the state, you get the same time as if you killed a cop.

-Matt

dukkillr · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2005, 04:59:03 AM »

did i miss read? i thought the dog was protecting the trailer home/drug depot... if i'm making a drug bust and a mean dog comes toward me i don't stop shooting until it stops moving... self defense should always been given in the light most favorable to the honest policemen who are risking their lives every day.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2005, 12:29:00 PM »

Most police dogs live a rather disappointing live. They bark allot on command, the bad guy wets his pants and gives up. Happy days when the bad guy wants to fight and the dog gets a real bite. The dogs are certified and highly trained. The bad guy makes the rules. If the bad guy wants to fight the dog will resolve the issue under the direction and control of it's handler. Pull a knife on a police dog and the dog is train to resolve the issue.

I have been on the receiving end from a "citizens" friendly dog who got me from behind. Lost a uniform shirt sleeve, had a torn-up right arm and still have scars on the right leg. I have come close to shooting a dog on duty a couple of times but the pepper spray bath did the job. But the dogs were close to taking a round. Dogs who are trained to attack will not stop for pepper spray.

I have taken training from more then one Agency. Shooting dogs are not taken lightly. in fact most officers like dogs. When a firearm is discharged anything might happen. The bullet could penetrate the dog, bounce off a hard surface and injure or kill a follow officer. The discharge of a firearm on duty requires a report and review. If the shooting was found not justified a number of actions can be taken. So officers do not shoot a dog to see it bounce.

Anybody who thinks you can shoot a dog with tranquillizer dart to stop an attacking dog, must be using to much of their own product. The amount of tranquilizer to stop a charge would kill the dog. I suspect the dog would get a few bites in before it took effect. I notice in the wildlife films they are not darting attacking animals. And there is a back-up with a large weapon.

Based on pass history a lot of folks in the drug industry like Pit Bulls. I am sure they keep them around to play with the kids and those spiked collars really look cool. Unfortunately some dog owners set the animal up for disaster. When you are in the drug business or in support of it everything can be at risk because of illegal behavior.

Mikey · « **Reply #6 on:** February 04, 2005, 03:37:57 AM »

Geez, the cops and poloce chiefs always seem to say the same thing - Oooops, sorry, we had to shoot your dog. What are they going to say if they get the wrong address - same dang thing. Sorry folks, but I don't trust cops or the 'police mentality' which believes that you're already guilty and they're just waiting to get the goods on ya. Too dang many cops out there who view the private citizen as a criminal either waiting to happen or one who just hasn't been caught yet, and the arrogance of that belief is appalling.

Hey, I have two dogs and post my property with signs that say "Attack Dogs on Premises". And, since I am a known shooter...well, then I guess I'm just gonna have to sit here and wait for them to kick my door in - one of them has to think I'm a criminal mastermind or some terrorist wannabe or some political oportunist ready to kill off an opposing advocate.

Hmmm, just to be safe I suppose I should take my dogs with me whenever I go out and leave my home unattended and unguarded. But, knowing cops, they would trash the place and take everything of interest. Hmmm, maybe if I bust the local police station first I can get a head start on them. Or, even better, I'll start with the one who drives up past my house on a private road to take his daily nap, or the two officerettes who, hmmm, nap together when they think nobody is lookin'.

Poor intell is a pretty dang poor excuse for far too many of the unmitigated and overly abusive police actions the citizenry suffers. Of course, cops are too smart to ever ask anybody so they would rather put the citizen and company at risk and apologize later. I wonder, really wonder what the heck would have happened if they had gotten the wrong house (er, trailer, which happens all too frequently) and had found an innocent man who was armed to defend himself and had shot up a whole bunch of them. Hmmmm, then I wonder who goes 'Ooooops', we musta had the wrong house and now some of our blithering idiots are gonna get a hero's funeral.

Sorry, these people may have had a 'history', but the cops seem to use the lowest possible reasoning quotient to arrive at the determination to do something. Geez guys, I have a history. I'm a veteran - that makes me dangerous. I'm a shooter, that makes me armed. I'm an American, that gives me an opinion. Geez, armed, dangerous and opinionated - nutz, I'm gonna load em up and wait for the 20 second knock on the door. Mikey.