The Humane Society of the United States praised Newton County, Ark. Circuit Judge Gordon Webb and Deputy Prosecutor Wes Bradford for their handling of a residential burglary case during which several small dogs were viciously stomped and tortured with electric cattle prods.
"Given the anemic maximum penalty of one year in jail for animal cruelty under current Arkansas law, we are pleased that the court found a way to impose a meaningful sentence in this case by ordering the maximum sentence on the burglary count," said The HSUS' Arkansas State Director Desiree Bender. "The Humane Society of the United States applauds Deputy Prosecutor Wes Bradford for fighting for every possible protection for animals, including banning a convicted animal abuser from ever contacting animals again."
Judge Webb sentenced 41-year-old Larry Cummings to 20 years in prison for felony burglary, and added the maximum one-year county jail sentence for animal cruelty, plus the maximum one-year county jail sentence for contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile for his role as an accomplice to an unnamed 15-year-old. Both of the one-year sentences are to be served concurrently with the 20-year burglary sentence. Cummings must also enroll in and successfully complete anger management and/or psychological counseling and will be banned from having any contact with animals upon his release.
Media reports of dogs being abused in this case spurred extensive public interest in Arkansas' animal cruelty law, which is one of only five state cruelty laws in the nation that does not include a felony provision. Attorney General Dustin McDaniel and Sen. Sue Madison both intend to offer felony animal cruelty bills in the 2009 legislative session, and Gov. Mike Beebe has indicated that he is keen to sign such a bill into law.
Responding to the suggestion that animal cruelty should be a felony only on a second offense, Madison told reporters: "I don't think you get two chances to stick cattle prods up inside of puppies and then stomp them to death." While the video evidence in this case did not show animals dying, Madison's point should be heeded by legislators. Cummings' alleged accomplice in the case, a 15-year-old juvenile, has yet to have a trial.
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