Tuesday, January 30, 2018

"Owner files $75K lawsuit after being forced to decapitate dog"

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
10:34 p.m Monday, Jan. 29, 2018 Metro Atlanta / State news

A Crawford County couple on Thursday filed a lawsuit for damages sustained when they say officials forced them to decapitate their dog and take the head to the health department.

Joe Goodwin and Tosha Dacon are suing the county, Sheriff Lewis Walker and deputies James Hollis and Wesley Andrew Neesmith for $75,000 in connection with the Dec. 1, according to the lawsuit.

“Under extreme emotional duress and distress, and under threat of incarceration and physical harm, Plaintiff Goodwin was forced to decapitate the dog with a knife,” the lawsuit states.
  
Neesmith responded to a complaint about a dog on Wellington Drive. While Goodwin was at work, his 2-year-old dog, Big Boy, allegedly lunged at the deputy and Neesmith shot and killed the dog, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.

Shortly thereafter, Hollis arrived and told Goodwin he’d have to cut the dead dog’s head off for rabies testing or face arrest, according to the lawsuit. He felt compelled to proceed and decapitated his pet in front of his children.

Afterward, Goodwin was “too emotionally and mentally distraught to comply and, therefore, Plaintiff Dacon was required to do so,” the lawsuit states.

In addition to the “great physical and mental pain and suffering,” which has required counseling, Goodwin lost his job as a result of the actions, the lawsuit states.

Hollis, who has a history of voluntary resignations and was previously fired from the Zebulon Police Department, was placed on administrative leave with pay during an internal investigation.

Goodwin regrets following the orders, but did as he was told because he was afraid of being shot or taken to jail. He also didn’t think he could afford having a professional remove Big Boy’s head for a fee, The AJC previously reported.

According to Walker, who is named in the suit, Goodwin was advised by the county health department about the options regarding the decapitation and testing.

 http://www.ajc.com/news/local/owner-files-75k-lawsuit-after-being-forced-decapitate-dog/AOQayUfgO4ztFiKbj4F6SL/


Wtf?  As soon as you finish a story about people being assholes to police, you read a story about police being assholes to civilians.

2 comments:

TSE said...

The Police are NOT your friend!

The Police are in fact the Mayor's Enforcers.

“The Police Have No Obligation To Protect You. Yes, Really.”

In cases such as DeShaney v. Winnebago County (1989) and Castle Rock v. Gonzales (2005), the Supreme Court has declined to put police and other public authorities under any general duty to protect individuals from crime. The decisions have been broadly unpopular, but Mike McDaniel at PJ Media takes the Court’s side on policy grounds: “This [lack of a particularized duty] might seem absolutely outrageous, but it is logical, rational, and unquestionably necessary.”

https://www.overlawyered.com/2011/12/the-police-have-no-obligation-to-protect-you-yes-really/

The only person the Police serve and protect is their Boss - the Mayor/Common Council.


(a)The police department of the city shall consist of a chief of police appointed by the board of police and fire commissioners, and such subordinate officers and positions and such number of members as the common council from time to time shall provide. Subordinate officers shall be appointed by the chief subject to the approval of the board of police and fire commissioners.

https://library.municode.com/wi/racine/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIIMUCO_CH2AD_ARTIVDE

TSE said...

(13) Police.
(a) The chief of police shall have command of the police force of the city, or the chief of a combined protective services department created under s. 62.13 (2e) (a) 1. shall have command of the combined protective services force, under the direction of the mayor. The chief shall obey all lawful written orders of the mayor or common council. The chief and each police officer or combined protective services officer shall possess the powers, enjoy the privileges and be subject to the liabilities conferred and imposed by law upon constables, and be taken as included in all writs and papers addressed to constables; shall arrest with or without process and with reasonable diligence take before the municipal judge or other proper court every person found in the city engaged in any disturbance of the peace or violating any law of the state or ordinance of the city and may command all persons present in that case to assist, and if any person, being so commanded, refuses or neglects to render assistance the person shall forfeit not exceeding $10. They shall collect the same fees prescribed for sheriffs in s. 814.70 for similar services, unless a higher fee is applicable under s. 814.705 (1) (b).

https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/62/I/09/13/a