The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit concluded Monday that police officers are justified in killing citizens pets; even if those animals are not attacking or attempting to attack them.
Judges MOORE and CLAY (Circuit Judges), and HOOD (District Judge) heard an appeal from the plaintiffs Mark and Cheryl Brown, of Battle Creek, Michigan.
The Browns filed a lawsuit against the BATTLE CREEK Police Department; the City of Battle Creek, and police officers Jeffrey Case, Christof Klein, and Damon Young; for the death of their beloved dogs at the hands of sadistic cops.
The incident occurred on April 17th, 2013, when police were attempting to execute a search warrant on the home where the Browns were living because a police informant reported another man, Vincent Jones was distributing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana from the residence.
Jones was apprehended before police arrived on the scene.
Mark Brown, who was not a suspect in the search; had gone home on his lunch break to let out his two pit bulls. After doing so, he locked the door and headed back to work when police arrived and detained him.
He told them he had a key, and that they didn’t need to destroy the front door to gain entry into the home. But destroy it they did.
The Browns dispute the claims by police that the dogs were barking.
Mark Brown even testified the smaller of the two dogs had “never barked a day in her life.” Officer Klein said the larger dog was barking and “lunged” at him, but later admitted the pet “had only moved a few inches.”
Despite there being no attack, Klein fired a round at the dog. Both dogs ran away from the officers to the basement, obviously fleeing in fear.
There, the two dogs were shot and killed by the officers who felt that they could not properly clear the room and effectively execute the search warrant on the home, explaining they “did not feel [the officers] could safely clear the basement with those dogs down there.”
Going further, the officers stated the “basement was loaded.
You’ve gotta look under beds, you’ve gotta do everything, and [the dogs] basically prevented us from doing that, and they were protecting that basement.” Klein testified the smaller pit bull was “just standing there” when it was shot and killed.
In spite of these sadistic admissions, the appellate court ruled in favor of the officers; the police department, and the other defendants. They agreed with the lower court ruling that the police officers were covered under “doctrine of qualified immunity”; and were therefore not liable for compensating the plaintiffs in the case.
SEE ALSO: A police dog was shot while chasing a suspect — now his partner sees him again
The precedent has now been set. Cops can legally kill your dogs for the sole act of being a dog. If your dog moves, it is dead, if he barks, it is dead. If your dog does anything but sit silently in the other room, it is dead.
However, as the above case illustrates, even if they are silent in the other room, police can still kill them; just to make their search for arbitrary substances deemed illegal by the state — that much easier.
Connie Radway
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Wrong
Neha Kulkarni
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Wtf! This should go up to the supreme court and be overturned! Unacceptable!!
Guy Austin
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Dogs Lives Matter !!!
Katriona Sutherland
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James JC as you say …do not “rush” to judgement…Read the fact of Bridgette,s statement.How can you defend the behaviour of said officer?
Marcia Paton Jones
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That is terrible
James Quinn
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pretty soon they will be shooting squirrels because they are jumping from one tree to the nest
Cheryl Albert Walker
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Wrong
Janice Ferguson
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Would be a bad day for that cop
Imee Mangle
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That is so unfair… not right.. dog deserve justice… you kill this dog for no reason… thats crazy. Really crazy… very sad…
Walt Merrill
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I disagree.
Carolyn Scroggins
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Bull crap!
Christine Borino
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Oh yeah…try it!
Desmond D'Oliveiro
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What ???
Rosemary De Silva
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This is insane. The dog s are there to protect the Oweners.
Leta Weir
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disgusting!
Michael Rajkumar
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If it was me one it wood be a different story
Wilson Mejias
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That’s why cops get shot…retaliation.
Laura Raines
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Austin Raines
Mary Rue
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It is very wrong. Some people will think our pets become target practice for cops.
Barbara Hardy
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So wrong.
Molly Jean Parker
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THAT MAKES ME SICK
Kay Poole
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I call BS on that..no one should have the right to kill an animal for NO reason! Especially if they are on their own property!! Going to cause alot of trouble.
Jim Williams
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I don’t mess with cops
Mariah Smith
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Because they’ve been doing that. One cop shot a dog who was inside the owner’s home. Just barking. Because that’s what dogs do. They even left a note saying they shot the dog.
Matthew Wengert
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Stop posting bull$#%&!@*
Jorge Camero
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Somehow this law doesn’t sound right. I don’t agree with it.
Elaine Morehead
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You don’t have to mess with cops for them to mess with you. That’s a horrible pic too, I feel so sorry for that man.
Scarlett Gates
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Ridiculous!!
Amir Ragab
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My court just ruled F your Court.
Shoot my dog and I will devote every second of my life to making yours not worth living. You can take that to the bank.
Amir Ragab
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AMEN
Amir Ragab
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Yeah baby
Gail Gaulding Lee
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NO!
Lorraine Turell
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Seriously ,I call bull$#%&!@*
Dewayne Johnson
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I’d hate for you to try to kill my dog I’m afraid that someone else would be getting hurt
Kelly Stettenbauer Wagner
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So wait. Police can kill pets that present no danger. And police can kill unarmed black men. Soon. Soon.
Dorothy Schoonmaker
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That monster of a judge should loose his seat for what he pass this stupid laws they should of never pass now for the officers who kill this poor animal should lose his job also the captain in charge should be teaching the officers as what to do what about pepper spray you are all monsters this doesn’t give them the right to kill anyone pets
Daune Read
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I think that judge should be shot!!! Obviously, he is not of sound mind!!!
And any police that kills a dog not posing an actual threat should lose his badge AND go to jail!!!
Megan Harrison
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I’m with you Matt but I want to add if they were “afraid” maybe they should have taken the job at the local burger joint making my husbands number 2 combo!!!
Gwen Cihonski
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So wrong.
David R Buckner
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Might cause another accidental shooting on my part. Shooting a Dog out of fear and ignorance on your part is a instant show down to the OK Corral
Thomas J Cushman
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Totally wrong and fascist
Dianne Mackey
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Can they also execute human who won’t sit quiet too ???????!
Vicki Krenzer
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That’s terrible my little dog stands and barks and barks and he won’t shut up that’s TERRIBLE!!!!!
Joni Miller
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No wrong in every way
Megan Harrison
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Jim while I thank you for your service you’re from a different thread of blue! You’re from a time like my great great uncle when wearing a badge actually meant something! It meant to honestly serve and protect the community. Sadly many of the men/women that wear the blue today are more corrupt than the individuals you arrested! It’s a far different time we live in with far different rules! I hope you have begun retirement like you deserve because the police of today are not the same police who took you under their wing and taught you to to serve and protect
Oran Kilgore
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That would be the day I go to prison or die.
Beverly Tigner Huff
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Any cop that shoots a dog just because they are barking. Are one BIG p***y
Ernie Peñas
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any police officer does this, with my best friend, there will be a bloodbath…. i swear on my mother’s grave….
Ann Drazenovich
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And you can shoot them (any person) if they cross your threshold. I would feel threatened. It’s justified.
Kushal Roy
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Karma will catch you up soon baby!