Petition for Justice for Dog Dragged to Death Delivered to Copiah District Attorney
Posted 4:37 pm Tuesday, May 9, 2023
- FEATURED PHOTOS From left, Doll Stanley and Mayor Sally Garland filed a petition urging justice for George, a dog dragged to his death behind his neighbor’s truck.
On Tuesday, May 9, District Attorney Daniella M. Shorter received a letter calling for the prosecution of a man who dragged a dog to its death.
Crystal Springs Mayor Sally Garland and Doll Stanley, a senior activist with IN Defense of Animals/Justice for Animals, presented the letter to the 22North Dakota DA Circuit in reference to a 2022 incident.
On September 14, 2022, the Crystal Springs Police Department arrested Daniel Berthelette for wrapping a wire around the neck of his neighbor’s dog, George, attaching the wire to his truck, and dragging George to his death.
Witnesses to the crime reported the description of the truck and driver to CSPD. At one point, Berthelette got out of her truck, presumably to make sure the dog was dead. It is unknown if George was dead at the time.
Berthelette continued driving and attempted to dispose of the dog’s body in a city dumpster. City employees would not allow her to do so and later identified Berthelette to the police and in court.
In Defense of Animals contacted George’s guardians, the Bush family, to help them get justice for the murder of their partner and son’s best friend. Stanley learned that Berthelette was improperly charged with a misdemeanor, which should have been a felony. Stanley contacted Crystal Springs Mayor Garland and City Attorney John Brock Campbell regarding the charge, which was amended to a felony cruelty to a dog or cat under § 97-41 -16. Maliciously harming dogs or cats.
The letter presented to DA Shorter was signed by 17,328 people and calls for the strongest possible sentence for Berthelette. Stanley and Garland requested that the letter be produced during the sentencing phase of the defendant’s trial. The two are confident that Berthelette will be found guilty.
“We are a small city. We wanted to get the word out and make the perpetrator famous,” said Mayor Garland. “We are grateful that In Defense of Animals is involved, because we just don’t have that kind of network or resources.”
Garland and Public Works Director Russell Brewer worked together to identify Berthelette as the man who killed George.
“We were mortified and our hearts are broken by the very thought that someone could tie a lead around a dog’s neck and drag it away,” Garland added. “Nobody should think they can drag a dog and get away with it.”
“The wanton killing of a neighbor’s pet is disturbing enough; it is unthinkable that someone would deliberately choose such a vile way to kill any animal,” Stanley said. “We thank Crystal Springs Mayor Garland, City Attorney Campbell, Director of Public Works Brewer, and the Crystal Springs Police Department for tracking down the perpetrator and acknowledging the serious nature of this incident. Animal advocates are intent on seeing justice for George, his family, and all of Mississippi’s animals.”
Letter to DA Shorter:
RE: Process dog dragging case to the maximum
I am writing to you, along with Crystal Springs Mayor Sally Garland and thousands of animal advocates, to support you in the prosecution of Daniel Berthelette, who was charged with the heinous killing of his neighbor’s dog, George.
On September 6, 2022, Berthelette maliciously strung George by wire, hooked him to the back of his truck, and dragged him to his death. Berthelette’s gruesome crime was first witnessed when he stopped, either to see if George was still being dragged away or if he was dead. The witnesses informed the police about the license plate and the description of the truck.
Berthelette was subsequently turned away from a city dumpster when Public Works employees saw him trying to dispose of George.
The City of Crystal Springs investigated the despicable crime and Daniel Berthelette was arrested on September 14, 2022.
This defendant deserves no plea bargains, no leniency, just a maximum sentence. In addition, before being released, he must have a mental evaluation and anger management classes or therapy and must not be allowed to live with animals. I will be following every procedure in this case. Thank you for taking this and all the cases he prosecutes with the seriousness they deserve.
[Signed: 17,328 In Defense of Animals supporters]