“Being a law enforcement officer doesn’t exempt you from wrongdoing.”
Last month, The Libertarian Republic reported on the case of Cole Middleton, an East Texas dairy farmer whose dog was shot by the deputy he called for help. “She’s barking when he pulls into the driveway… He gets out of his car and shoots my dog in my front yard,” said Middleton.
As Middleton’s cow dog, Candy, lay suffering, the deputy refused to put the animal out of its misery, forcing Middleton to kill his dog with his bare hands.
The officer was fired after a veterinarian reportedly determined that Candy was shot in the back of the head. He has now been indicted on a felony animal cruelty charge.
Middleton says he supports the charges, arguing that police officers and the general public should not be held to two different standards when they commit crimes. “I just want justice to prevail,” he says, “just as it would if anybody else had done this.”
“I feel that a badge or being a law enforcement officer doesn’t exempt you from wrongdoing. If you committed wrong, and you acted criminally, you should face the same charges as we all would.”
The officer’s attorney says he is flabbergasted that a police officer would be charge for shooting a dog in the line of duty. The indictment is certainly unusual: the ASPCA says that police officers are typically allowed to kill dogs with impunity.
[about_ian]
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