August 13, 2008
Justice for the Pets Murdered in St. Bernard Parish
Warning: Extremely Graphic Photos Contained Within this Video
Charges Dropped in Katrina Dog Killings
In the days following Hurricane Katrina, former Sheriff's Deputy Michael Minton and Sergeant Clifford (Chip) Englande were video taped by David Leeson, a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer for The Dallas Morning News. Patrolling the hurricane devastated region of St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, one sequence in the video shows dogs being shot, another shows the men driving away, leaving a mortally wounded black Labrador retriever on the street.
Video can be viewed here….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cmjgy7bcSeE
Additional footage can be viewed here…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=KtU2AFCbJlY
In a subsequent interview recorded by Leeson, Minton acknowledged shooting the dogs, citing safety and humanitarian concerns.
Indictments were obtained by Charles Foti in November 2006 and both men were indicted on charges of Aggravated Animal Cruelty. A State Grand Jury concluded that they fatally shot numerous dogs that had been separated from their owners and were roaming the streets after Katrina swamped the Parish.
State Drops Dog Death Case
Citing insufficient evidence, the new Attorney General James Caldwell, Foti's replacement, has dropped the animal cruelty charges against Minton and Englande.
Filed Tuesday, January 22nd, 2008 in 34th Judicial District Court in Chalmette, Louisiana
Despite the existence of probable cause for the arrest and sufficient evidence for a grand jury indictment, considering all the facts and cir stances in this matter there is insufficient evidence to prove the guilt of the defendants beyond a reasonable doubt.
Here was the loophole the AG found:
The video never showed the shooters and the dogs in the same shot.
Shortly after the street shootings had taken place more than 33 dogs were found m acred in three separate schools within the same Parish. Their owners had sought shelter in these buildings during the days following Katrina. Upon rescue they were forced to leave their pets behind. They were told that their pets would soon be rescued and taken to safety. That would not be the case.
The owners of some of the dogs you are about to view have filed a separate suit in federal court in New Orleans against the St. Bernard Parish Government, former Parish President Henry "Junior" Rodriguez, the Parish Council, Sheriff Jack Stephens and numerous deputies. This lawsuit is still pending.
Upon learning of the dismissed Animal Cruelty charges against Minton and Englande, a Memorial Service took place on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at PGT Beauregard Middle School to honor and remember those lives lost.
Memorial story and video can be found here…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK6Jtys5QIM
http://www.animalrescueneworleans.org/
Anderson Cooper reports the school shootings on CNN, October 2005…
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/law/2005/10/20/cooper.nola.dead.dogs.cnn
CNN video taken in November 2005 at PGT Beauregard Middle School regarding the school shootings and the reunion of Mercedes, one of the dogs who by the grace of god somehow managed to escape…
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2005/11/24/lavandera.dog.rescue.affl
Urgent Action is Needed!
How YOU can Make A Difference.
For Case Updates, click here…
http://pasadosafehaven.org/
With your help The Animal Cruelty Case could still be sent to the United States Attorney Federal Court. For those viewing this video, when sending your comments to Pasado's Safe Haven, please bear in mind that the street shooting case is the case that has been dismissed by Attorney General James Caldwell. The school shooting case is still pending.
You need to express your outrage at what has happened and beg the court to hear the street shooting case.
Pasado's Safehaven will forward your comments to the U.S. District Court.
Send comments here…
http://pasadosafehaven.org/KATRINA/DOGSHOOTING/LetterForm.htm
Please take a moment to sign this petition as well.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/408098466
A $25,000 cash reward is offered by Pasado's Safe Haven for information leading to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the person(s) responsible for shooting dozens of dogs and cats at four St. Bernard Parish Schools in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
If you have any information regarding this cowardly act please call Pasado's Safe Haven at 206-779-9102.
Violence towards Animals Leads to Violence towards People
Please help us seek Peace & Justice for the pets murdered in St. Bernard Parish.
"We Are Their Only Voice"
Thank you,
Susan Bongiorno
Transport & Out of State Adoption Coordinator
St. Bernard Parish Animal Shelter
Chalmette, Louisiana
Music by Enya
Amadeus
May It Be
Mornie Utulie ~ Darkness has come
Mornie Alantie ~ Darkness has fallen
Duration : 0:7:55
Filed under Black Labrador Retriever by admin
Comments on Justice for the Pets Murdered in St. Bernard Parish »
everybody sign this …
everybody sign this petition!! it will change lives and save lives. have a heart and please sign
Please add a link …
Please add a link for the petition.
Does poor dogs!!!!! …
Does poor dogs!!!!!!:(:( my heart goes out to those beloved pets and there owners!!!!
Rest In Peace!!!!!
i cried when i saw …
i cried when i saw this. =(
This is terrible.
…
This is terrible.
My heart goes out to those poor dogs, and to their owners. Whoever did this should burn in . Sgt. Minton etc. These pets had histories, information about them. They were killed for fun - for nothing. And all I hope is that the people who did it will one day understand what they did.
Sometimes the …
Sometimes the public needs to take matters into there own hands!!!!!!!!
Rest in peace, …
Rest in peace, beautiful babies. My heart goes out to them and those who loved them.
I have adopted a second generation Katrina rescue. It disgusts me the way many of these animals (and their loving owners) were treated.
who could ever hurt …
who could ever hurt any animal i could never live without mine they mean the world to me much more then any other HUMAN !
Disgusting … will …
Disgusting … will sign petition … has anyone put it on MySpace??
They are taking …
They are taking this to civil court as Louisiana is a "good old boys" state and nothing criminal will be prosecuted. They have retained a big time lawyer. Because of so much litigation in LA over Katrina, this may take years. I hope that they sue and get every dime the city, county, state, and sheriff's office employees have. They didn't want to cough up two of their own sheriffs, fine. Please share this with all contacts so that we can see justice done.
I cannot believe …
I cannot believe this! I'll sign the petition, but will justice be done?
Everyone should …
Everyone should read the petition letter as these school killings were sexually motivated, dogs were raped, blood was collected in buckets. It is far worse than what this video depicts. Please sign petition, read the letter, share and see justice is done.
As if these dogs …
As if these dogs had not been through enough and then shot by those who could of rescued them its a disgrace.
The owners of these …
The owners of these pets would have loved to be able to sleep in their cars. Sadly, they were, in fact, trying to survive on rooftops watching the water engulf their homes. They were brought to official shelters & fought to bring their pets along. Once there, they were ordered, some at gunpoint, to leave their pets behind as they climbed off school rooftops to boats that would take them to safety. They left ample food/water & were told animal rescue was on the way. Please get the facts!
I could NEVER in a …
I could NEVER in a Million Years leave my dogs behind. What kind of owner are you that you would leave because you feel unsafe but you leave your dogs behind, you should be ashamed of yourselves. I dont care if I had to sleep in my car with my dogs, I dont car if I had to buy a tent and sleep in the woods, I would NEVER EVER EVER leave my dogs behind. NEVER..you owners should be ashamed.
Please view the …
Please view the description box to the right of the video. You will find the link listed.
if any one killed …
if any one killed my dog. i would murder them and that's not a lie. my dog is as much a part of my family as my brothers or mom and dad
where can i sign?
…
where can i sign?
message me plz
The petition has …
The petition has really come to a very slow crawl, still needed - 397 signatures
please tell people.
It went from 2 or 3 day to the last one on the 23rd…
were almost there keep informing people!!
poor dogs
there …
poor dogs
there owners should have bin told
there dog will be shot
then myb the would have took yhe dog with them
this vid made me cry
Music by Enya
…
Music by Enya
Song Title: Amadeus
amazingly powerful …
amazingly powerful video…..makes me cry….
so sad….whats the first song please?
This happened all …
This happened all throughout the South during Katrina. Countless people, Mississippi to Florida, told me of how their dogs were left behind or actually shot by military and police because the animals were not allowed to be evacuated and the owners would not leave them behind. Horrible individuals exist among those many great rescuers that came to the aid of the Gulf Coast and it is a shame they have not been prosecuted and punished for what they did. They should not be shielded from justice.
thank you miss …
thank you miss boomer, keep your head up - well get there!
The petition link …
The petition link is listed to the right of the video under the yellow subscribe box, click on "more info". A link to Pasados website is listed as well. Please be sure to check their website later this week for an update regarding the case.