Thread: Man Sentenced In Shocking Animal Cruelty Case

http://www.10news.com

Man Sentenced In Shocking Animal Cruelty Case
Animal Survives Beating, Later Euthanized

POSTED: 12:37 pm PDT May 2, 2006
UPDATED: 5:27 pm PDT May 2, 2006

SAN DIEGO -- An ex-con who savagely beat his pit bull, breaking some of its ribs and a leg, was sentenced Tuesday to three years in state prison.

Enrique George Hernandez, 39, pleaded guilty March 30 to animal cruelty for punching "Ozzie" at least 10 times on August 25, knocking the dog off its feet.

The dog also had a burn, consistent with a cigarette burn, in the middle of his forehead, said Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright.

"This is a very serious case," the prosecutor said.

Deputy Public Defender Troy Britt called the crime "horrible." Still, he told the judge he had seen worse animal abuse cases. Britt cited a case in which someone with a crossbow used a cat as target practice.

A neighbor, who saw Hernandez laughing as he beat and yelled at the dog while giving him a bath, called 911, the prosecutor said.

The 55-pound animal survived the beating but became aggressive, unadoptable and was ultimately euthanized, authorities said.

Superior Court Judge Howard Shore said the defendant knew what he was doing.

"He obviously has a horrible temper and took it out on the dog," the judge said.

Hernandez went to prison for auto theft after being convicted in 1989 and again in 1992 for an assault with a deadly weapon.

He also went to prison for a 1995 conviction for beating his wife and was sentenced in 1998 to 77 months in federal custody for re-entering the United States illegally.

He could have faced a maximum six years in prison on the animal cruelty charge.

The judge called the crime "unjustifiable" but gave the defendant credit for taking anger management, domestic violence and parenting classes while in custody to improve his life.

Britt said Hernandez was physically and emotionally abused by his father and had turned to methamphetamine to self-medicate for the past 20 years.

"I just want to apologize for whoever I hurt in this case," Hernandez said.

"Well, do you know who you hurt?" the judge asked.

Hernandez said he guessed he hurt the dog and the people of San Diego.

Shore said the defendant's attitude and disrespect toward the law was evident, citing Hernandez's "significant" prior record and willingness to sneak back into the United States after he had been deported.

"It doesn't appear his level of remorse is very deep," the judge said.

The dog was apparently a stray that Hernandez claimed as his own at an animal shelter, authorities said.

http://www.signonsandiego.com

Dog-beater gets three years in prison

By Debbi Farr Baker
UNION-TRIBUNE BREAKING NEWS TEAM

12:33 p.m. May 2, 2006

SAN DIEGO – A man with a lengthy criminal history was sentenced to three years in prison Tuesday for beating his dog so badly it could not walk.
Prosecutors called it one of the county's worst cases of animal cruelty.

Enrique George Hernandez, 39, was accused of punching his 2-year-old pit bull named Ozzie at least 10 times with such force it was lifted off the ground at his Southcrest home on Gamma Street near 38th Street in August.

The dog had a broken leg, several broken ribs at various stages of healing, internal bleeding and a burn on its head from a cigarette, said Deputy District Attorney Cally Bright.

It was found in the sun, tied to a tree without food or water and had to be euthanized three months later because, animal control officials said, despite much rehabilitation, it was too aggressive to be adopted.

In handing down the sentence, Superior Court Judge Howard Shore noted that as the dog cried, Hernandez told it to shut up and was laughing.

“He clearly knew what he was doing,” Shore said. “He has a horrible temper and he took it out on the dog.”

Shore called it a “a violent crime” that showed “unjustifiable cruelty.”

Hernandez, an admitted methamphetamine user, has been in and out of jail for the last 23 years for crimes that included beating his wife, assault with a deadly weapon and entering the United States illegally.

He sat quietly next to his attorney as he heard his sentence, which also included a $1,000 fine and an order to pay restitution to the San Diego County Department of Animal Control.

Shore acknowledged that Hernandez had an abusive childhood and had been trying to improve himself in prison by taking anger-management and self-improvement classes.

“But this is a crime that calls out for punishment,” Shore said. “An animal is especially vulnerable. It can't call police, it can't call for help.”

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis said in a news conference after the sentencing that a prison term in animal cruelty cases is rare but was justified in this case, given the severity of the crime and Hernandez's criminal record.

“People who are violent with animals are often violent with people,” Dumanis said. “We don't want him abusing anyone ever again.”



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Debbi Baker: (619) 293-1710; debbi.baker@uniontrib.com

Now we have to feed him for three years.

This just kills me. They give him more attention for animal abuse than any other crime he committed....What about the HUMAN BEINGS HE HURT ALONG THE WAY?!

With all his priors and his being here illegally why didn't the judge give him the maximum sentence?

Originally Posted by Jezzabell

This just kills me. They give him more attention for animal abuse than any other crime he committed....What about the HUMAN BEINGS HE HURT ALONG THE WAY?!

My thoughts exactly and to top it he GUESSED he hurt the dog
and the people of San Diego. Geez! How about deport his ass!?

Quote: Dog-beater gets three years in prison“People who are violent with animals are often violent with people,” Dumanis said. “We don't want him abusing anyone ever again.”

This is an understatement, that a person who is cruel to animals are often violent with people. On average, the two crimes go together. I say give the perpetrator a taste of his own medicine with a similar punishment to fit his crime.

I bet if criminals had to experience similar horrors that they inflict on their victims, there would be much less crime and violence in society.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth . . .

Originally Posted by noillegalimmigrationannie

Quote: Dog-beater gets three years in prison“People who are violent with animals are often violent with people,” Dumanis said. “We don't want him abusing anyone ever again.”

This is an understatement, that a person who is cruel to animals are often violent with people. On average, the two crimes go together. I say give the perpetrator a taste of his own medicine with a similar punishment to fit his crime.

I bet if criminals had to experience similar horrors that they inflict on their victims, there would be much less crime and violence in society.

An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth . . .

Okay you can have the first eye and tooth on this one.

The guy is here illegally and had committed numerous crimes with beating a defenseless animal the latest. Why has he not been deported before this? I blame our courts and criminal justice systems for not deporting these people on their first offense. So now we are going to feed him and give him cable TV and healthcare for the next three years and then they will set him loose in society again. That is great