We usually think of firefighters as men and women who are there to help us in times of need - a fire, or a medical emergency. Then there's the case of a former Los Angeles County assistant fire chief, who is on trial for allegedly beating a neighbor's dog to death after a long-standing dispute.
Glynn Johnson is charged with felony animal cruelty and use of a deadly weapon in the death of Karley, a six-month-old German Shepherd mix that belonged to his neighbors, Jeff and Shelley Toole. The case, which has received considerable national attention, is being held in Riverside County, where Johnson lives.
Johnson's attorneys call the Tooles the "neighbors from hell," claiming they routinely take in stray animals and allow them to run freely in the community. Prosecutors say the alleged beating was an unprovoked act and that Johnson once put dog feces in his neighbors' mailbox with a letter warning them to keep their dogs off his property.
It's a sad story about neighbors failing to co-exist. But what's most appalling is Johnson's attempted defense: His attorneys say their client was attacked by the puppy for no reason and that his thumb was nearly severed. Johnson is accused of punching the dog and hitting it with a rock, supposedly because he feared for his life. Prosecutors say he "snapped" as a result of the neighborhood feud.
Karley was later euthanized.
So let's get this straight: A grown man allegedly kills a puppy because he supposedly believed the puppy might kill him? A puppy?
It's easy to see why the community is outraged by this. Let's see if the judge in the case agrees.
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