Youth Might Pose Danger to People, Too, Warns Group
For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2013
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
This morning, PETA sent an urgent plea to Hill County Attorney David Holmes urging him to vigorously prosecute a 12-year-old Blum boy who is facing charges of cruelty to animals for allegedly shooting two of his neighbor's horses to death. The deaths of six horses, a donkey, and a cow have been reported in recent months, and several of these deaths are also being linked to the defendant.
PETA warns that such acts should never be dismissed as "childish pranks." Criminal profile studies show that many people who are violent toward animals in their youth grow up to commit violent crimes against humans. Robert Ressler, founder of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit, has described serial killers and other psychopathic torturers of people as "the kids who never learned it's wrong to poke out a puppy's eyes."
"Young people who harm animals are a threat to society, and Hill County authorities must send a strong message that violence in the community will not be swept under the rug," says PETA Director Martin Mersereau. "Given the strong connection between cruelty to animals and other forms of violence, it is imperative, for everyone's sake, that this case be taken seriously."
A 1999 study of suspects charged with cruelty to animals—ranging from severe neglect to intentional killing—found that 78 percent had also been charged with offenses involving violence or the threat of violence toward humans. For more information, please visit PETA.org. To view PETA's new anti-violence public service announcement featuring Sopranos star Edie Falco, please visit http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/Prefs.asp?video=edie_link1.
PETA's letter to Hill County Attorney David Holmes follows.
February 11, 2012
The Honorable David Holmes
Hill County Attorney’s Office
P. O. Box 253
Hillsboro, TX 76645-2353
Dear Mr. Holmes:
PETA is an international animal protection organization with more than 3 million members and supporters globally. This letter concerns a recent case that your office is handling involving an unnamed 12-year-old boy from Blum. We understand that he faces charges of cruelty to animals stemming from his alleged fatal shooting of a neighbor’s horses. According to news sources, the suspicious deaths of six horses, a donkey, and a cow have been reported in recent months, and several of these cruel deaths are being linked to the defendant.
As you likely know, mental-health professionals and top law-enforcement officials consider animal abuse to be a red flag. The American Psychiatric Association identifies cruelty to animals as one of the diagnostic criteria for conduct disorders, and the FBI uses reports of animal abuse in analyzing the threat potential of suspected and known criminals. FBI interviews with murderers showed that 36 percent of them had tortured and killed animals as children and that 46 percent had done so as adolescents. The link between animal abuse and interpersonal violence is undeniable, and the safety of the community may depend upon a vigorous prosecution of this case.
On behalf of our thousands of members and supporters in Texas, we respectfully ask that the defendant, if convicted, be required to undergo a thorough psychological evaluation followed by mandatory counseling at his family’s expense, in addition to serving a period of incarceration. Because repeat crimes are the rule rather than the exception among animal abusers and given the disturbing nature of this case, we also ask that, if convicted, the defendant be prohibited from contact with animals (a common provision in such cases) for as long as possible.
Thank you for your consideration and for the difficult work that you do.
Sincerely,
Kristin Simon
Senior Cruelty Caseworker
Cruelty Investigations
Department