AR-News: (MI) No Penalties For Policemen Who Drowned Cat---Sample Letter

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Subj:[AGA] LETTER/No Penalties For Policemen Who Drown Cat 
Date:3/27/2004 12:47:20 AM Eastern Standard Time
From:bizshows at att.net
To:aga at lgal.org
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SAMPLE LETTER FROM KINSHIP CIRCLE
3/26/04--No Penalties For Policemen Who Drown Cat
http://www.kinshipcircle.org
1 letter

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:
HUMANElines---Issue 288---March 18th, 2004
humanelines at hsus.org
http://www.humanelines.org/  

*DISCLAIMER: The information in these letters is verified with the original 
source. I cannot assume responsibility for the accuracy of the information or 
for the consequences of its use.

*Kinship Circle cannot guarantee the validity of email addresses. During a 
campaign, recipients may change or disable their email addresses.

===============SAMPLE LETTER===============

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox
G. Mennen Williams Building, 7th Floor
525 W. Ottawa Street
P.O. Box 30212
Lansing, MI 48909
ph: 517-373-1110; fax: 517-373-3042

Dear Attorney General Cox,

Earlier this year Officer Chad Racine, Sergeant Alan Gritzon and Officer 
Brook Foster drowned a cat in response to a complaint about the cat's "vicious" 
behavior. Although the animal was constrained in her carrier, they reportedly 
knotted a rope around the carrier, dropped the cat into the frigid Menominee 
River, and waited for her to die. A police report notes that the officers then 
stuffed the cat's body in a bag and discarded her in a city garbage truck. 

Clearly, this small, confined animal posed no threat to three mature males. 
In fact, further allegations indicate that the officers attempted to cover up 
the deliberate drowning. 

I understand the county prosecutor has asked a special prosecutor from 
Michigan's Attorney General's Office to investigate and prosecute the accused law 
enforcers in this case. To date, the Attorney General's office has failed to 
intervene. I respectfully urge you to assign a special prosecutor to handle this 
arrant case of animal cruelty.

So far, no one seems to acknowledge the brutality behind the officers' 
actions. Routine policy specifies that a stray animal be trapped and transported to 
an animal shelter--not recklessly abused or killed. At the very least, this 
case warrants an unbiased internal affairs investigation and punishment for 
violations of departmental regulations. Officers Racine, Gritzon and Foster should 
be charged with animal cruelty and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the 
law. 

The officers' vicious reflex suggests an inability to respond appropriately 
in situations involving animals or people. I trust that plans are underway to 
review how this case reflects upon their potential for violence. I strongly 
encourage an appointed special prosecutor to seek psychiatric treatment and 
restrictions on the officers' future contact with animals.

In our society, no one maintains the right to needlessly abuse or take the 
life of another living being. Law enforcement officers, in particular, ought to 
conform to higher ideals of justice and mercy. This case depicts a need for 
police departments to train their officers in the handling of potentially 
dangerous animals--so they can distinguish between an animal who is afraid or 
defensive or one who is truly aggressive.

The fact that the accused are police officers does not pardon them from 
investigation and prosecution for animal cruelty. Please inform me of any progress 
in this disturbing case.

Thank you, 
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