Teen Sent To Jail For Setting Turtle On Fire

[matcom]

<snip>

MOORHEAD, Minn. — An 18-year-old was sentenced to jail and community service for his part in setting a snapping turtle on fire, an incident he and his friends videotaped and posted on the Internet.

Under the sentence handed down Monday, Joel Charles Ross, of Hawley, will have to serve at least five days in jail, perform at least 50 hours of community service, and pay a $500 fine that he can reduce by $400 with more community service. He would face more jail time and higher fines if he fails to comply with the terms of his probation.

Ross pleaded guilty last month to a misdemeanor charge of animal cruelty for an incident that captured the attention of online viewers and animal rights activists worldwide.

In late May, Ross and two juveniles videotaped themselves dousing the large snapping turtle with gasoline, lighting it on fire twice, and dancing around it. They were discovered after someone sent police an e-mail with a link to the video.

The two juveniles involved received community service earlier.

"This was something that just got way out of control, said Dennis Fisher, Ross's attorney. Fisher asked Clay County District Judge Michael Kirk to impose fines and community service but not jail time, saying Ross and his family had suffered enough.

Ross told Kirk he felt bad for his actions and knew they were wrong. He said his family has been affected, including a brother serving in Iraq.

"He's upset and probably thinks a lot less of me right now,'' Ross said.

Ross also said he had planned to sign up for the National Guard to do military police work. "Now I can't, because of this,'' he said.

Kirk said he wanted to see more empathy from Ross toward the animal.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/686605.html

[wildhorses]

1. refuse to click on link...

:puke:

[Coventina]

2. GOOD! He's a sick motherfucker.

And he wants to be an MP?!?!?

That's scary.

And why bring up the brother in Iraq? Is that supposed to make us feel sympathetic?

:puke:

Also, notice how he's 18 years old, and referred to as a "teen". Which is technically true, yes, but usually people of legal age are referred to as "young men".

[Tyler Durden]

3. Not enough.

Sick, animal torturing motherfucker. I suggest branding. I'll settle for it on his ass, but the next time he gets the FOREHEAD.

[zonkers]

31. Damn straight.

[LeftyMom]

4. Well no wonder

"There is no pattern of cruelty with any of the three teens," they wrote. "There is nothing to indicate that this is anything but an isolated incident and will not likely be repeated with animals, much less humans. ... We and the other parents involved love our sons far more than these people love their stupid turtles and we believe they will turn out just fine."

As long as these people make excuses for thier disgusting offspring and how he's only lit an animal on fire, danced around it and posted it on the fucking internet- haven't we all made that mistake? :eyes: - and attack the people who care about the "stupid turtles" shit like this will happen. Somebody'd better investigate the brother in Iraq, because he comes from a family that excuses abuse.

[Tyler Durden]

6. OH.MY.GOD.COM

I went back and read the article after you quoted "Pee and Em."

I think not only should little "Alex and his Droogs" be branded on the ass, so should their parents. Might show how a fellow creature feels when that level of heat is applied.

Single Helix, Carney World pukes. Likely Bush supporters.

[mikeytherat]

8. Could the parents set the bar any lower?

As long as they aren't setting their kids on fire, they "love their sons more than those people love their stupid turtles." Have they really set the bar that low?

mikey_the_rat

PS
I think even a single helix is WAY too much with these folks - 5-6 chromosomes, tops

[Tyler Durden]

9. Let's do an IQ test.

If "Pee and Em and Junior" don't score over 100 (the statistical weighted average), let's break out the gasoline!

[mikeytherat]

10. Is that 100 each or 100 collectively?

'cuz either way I think they're SOL.

mikey_the_rat

[Tyler Durden]

12. You got that right.

What teaches these "people" that other beings with nerves and sense of touch, that breath and live are not entitled to AT LEAST not be tortured to death?

Ooopsy. Bush. Yeah right.

[mikeytherat]

14. Bush, perhaps peripherally, but ma and pa empirically

The "stupid turtles" quip underscored that one - it was just a stupid turtle, why all the fuss?

I'm sure empathy lessons are few and far between from mom and pop.

mikey_the_rat

[Tyler Durden]

16. You can't retroactively "learn" empathy.

At least I've never seen it work.

Empathy generates Empathy. My family might have been some sick puppies, but I learned empathy at my father's knee.

[mikeytherat]

18. Yep - these kids never got empathy, that's for sure

What an ugly, dark, sad upbringing that must be...

mikey_the_rat

[Tyler Durden]

19. A dark, dark hole right square in the center of the psyche...

...attracting other dark souls, breeding a Generation of DARK, EVIL SOULS, BRINGIN THE FIRE OF SATAN, ARRRRGGGHHHHHH!

I scared myself.

[Haole Girl]

28. Well said

Oh, and the brother? Probably interrogating Iraqi prisoners. :eyes:

[raccoon]

5. A future pResident here, folks! Let's see, in about 35-40 years

we'll be hearing about JCR (Joel Charles Ross) :puke:

More than likely I won't live to see it.

[BarenakedLady]

7. Arg.

The other day, my son (6) threw a marble at a bug. I made him apologize to the bug. lol. I would hate for him to grow up thinking it is ok to hurt any living creature maliciously. Evidentally that other guy didn't learn that lesson growing up.

[xchrom]

11. a person who tortures animals isn't even a hairsbreadth away

from someone who tortures people.

the punishment was NOT severe enough.

and should have included the parents.

[Tyler Durden]

13. From being George Bush.

Just finishing the sentence.

[NewWaveChick1981]

15. Well, Mr. Ross, did you know a lot of serial killers started out

torturing animals, and some were even in the military? And to the parents of these sick abusers: Um, do you think maybe they got their cavalier attitude about animals FROM YOU??? :grr: These idiots make me sick.

[Tyler Durden]

17. So did some Senate Majority Leaders!

Nyuk, Nyuk, Nyuk!

And how are YOU today, Gorgeous? I think my migraine from yesterday is going away, which makes ME feel less like a potential mass murderer!

[NewWaveChick1981]

20. LOL!

:rofl: How true...

I'm doing reasonably well. Thanks for asking. :D And I'm really glad your migraine is gone. Sorry for the crap you had to deal with outside your window last night.

[nerddem]

21. as a former turtle owner

i say to the gallows with him!!!

[Tyler Durden]

22. I ran into the middle of a road to save a 6" box turtle.

It peed on me for my trouble.

I didn't hold it against the turtle. My family in the car got a big laugh out of it.

[Ariana Celeste]

23. I have a pet turtle right now

If somebody hurt my Mr. Bawkbagawk, I would have to get violent. :cry:

[anarch]

25. that is the best turtle name, ever

Mr. Bawkbagawk! :thumbsup:

[nerddem]

29. he looks a lot like mine

his name was gatsby, based on a mishearing nick carraway say "total reassurance" in reference to gatsby, i heard him say "turtle reassurance".

[Catchawave]

30. I had a turtle like that

Named her "Timmy" because she looked like Tim Russert ! She now resides in a lovely private lake at a friends house.

[idgiehkt]

24. this reeks:

"Ross told Kirk he felt bad for his actions and knew they were wrong. He said his family has been affected, including a brother serving in Iraq.

"He's upset and probably thinks a lot less of me right now,'' Ross said."

How is this relevant to the case? It's not. Sickening to use something like that to try to divert from the matter at hand. Wonder if they brought this up in court as well?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. Pff.

I've got the imagine in my head of a fiery turtle sprinting to the nearest pond.

Gallows humor aside, string 'em up by their short hairs.

[KamaAina]

27. Pfffffff.

I was thinking that "The Daily Show" might be getting a new theme song; the present one is a Bob Mould tune called "Dog on Fire".

Seriously, in the words of Margaret Mead, "One of the most dangerous things that can happen to a child is to kill or torture an animal and get away with it."

edit: solo Mould, not 'Mats; plus, per Wikipedia, the TDS version was re-recorded by They Might Be Giants!

[Fox Mulder]

32. Another proud moment for Minnesota.

:sarcasm: