LA fire chief beats puppy to death.

[Bear's Mom]

Justice.

[Jeff&Peks]

Los Angeles County firefighter claims self-defense in dog beating
An assistant fire chief says the dog bit him with a 'vise-like grip,' nearly tearing off the top of his thumb and injuring his arms and legs. He has been charged with animal cruelty.
By Victoria Kim
December 23, 2008

A Los Angeles County assistant fire chief accused of beating a neighbor's 6-month-old puppy with a rock, cracking her skull and damaging her eye, said Monday that he acted in self-defense after the animal bit his thumb with what he called a "vise-like grip."

Speaking at a news conference at his attorney's office in Beverly Hills, Glynn Johnson, 54, said the top of his thumb had nearly been ripped off and had to be sutured back on because of the bite.

The dog "suddenly turned on me and severely bit me several times on my hands, my arms and my legs," Johnson said, sitting next to poster boards with enlarged images of his injuries. Photos showed a number of stitches around the top of his right thumb, across the fingernail. His thumb was covered in white bandages at the news conference.

"I'm sure anyone would've done the same," he said. "I have personally rescued many dogs from peril as a firefighter, and would never, ever harm a dog that posed no danger to me."

Johnson was arrested by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department last week and charged with one felony count of animal cruelty for beating the shepherd mix, Karley, who was euthanized because of her injuries. He was released on $10,000 bail.

Animal-rights activists had urged prosecutors to file criminal charges after the Nov. 3 incident, alleging that Johnson was receiving special treatment because of his position in the fire department. He is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of his criminal case, said his attorney, John Sweeney.

A neighbor who witnessed the incident told authorities Johnson used a rock to strike the dog on the head more than 10 times. A criminal complaint filed by the Riverside County district attorney's office said the rock weighed 12 pounds.

Karley was 21 inches long and 40 pounds at the time, said her owner, Jeffrey Toole. Her skull was cracked in three places, her nasal cavity and ear canal crushed, and she lost an eye, according to a veterinarian's report.

Sweeney said Johnson's actions were clearly in self-defense because the right-handed firefighter had used his left hand to beat the dog. His right hand was "being shredded" in the dog's mouth, he said, contending that Karley was not a small, defenseless puppy but a full-grown dog capable of such an attack.

The attorney also accused Riverside prosecutors of filing baseless charges because of political pressure. Sweeney said his client received several death threats after the case was widely publicized.

Assistant Dist. Atty. Chuck Hughes called Sweeney's allegations "absurd," saying his office considered neither public opinion nor Johnson's profession in deciding to file charges. He declined to discuss the details of the case.

victoria.kim@latimes.com

[redangie24]

This is a horrible nasty case. In the end though I bet he gets off with a fine and a max of 90 days in jail. He could get up to four, but I don't see that happening. Even if he did he would only serve two. I hate that men like this guy even get a chance to rise up to the level that he did. You don't just all of a sudden become a sadistic freak. He showed signs much earlier, that I bet no one had the guts to stand up and do anything about. I hope he goes to the zoo falls in the cat cage and gets to be kitty food.

[Jeff&Peks]

Jail time or not if he's found guilty he's out of a 30 year career and pension, kind of a Michal Vick thing but not the money loss of Vick. I missed a couple of news stories yesterday but rumor is he's guilty as hell plus his own peers, firefighters don't even like him they are all saying the guy is a nut case and should have been fired years ago

The family has set up a webite Karly's story and the DA office if anyone wants to get involved.

http://justice4karley.com/


RALLY: Activists march at the Riverside County courthouse, protesting the November beating of Jeff and Shelley Toole’s puppy, which was later euthanized. L.A. County Assistant Fire Chief Glynn Johnson was arrested Tuesday.



Protesters at Riverside D.A.'s office call for the firing of L.A. County assistant fire chief who is charged with felony animal cruelty.
Reporting from Riverside -- After weeks of protest and outrage, dozens of demonstrators Thursday celebrated the arrest of Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief Glynn Johnson, who stands accused of savagely beating a neighbor's puppy last month with a rock.

Carrying signs saying "Jail the Puppy Killer!," about 50 people marched in front of the Riverside County district attorney's office chanting, "Thank you, D.A.; now make Johnson pay."

[Victory]

This guy is such a liar, both my chows are small about 21" long and 40lbs, and if they decided to take off my thumb it would be the whole thing, not just the tip. I'll bet this creep cut off the tip of his own thumb just to prove his case, why would it be heavily bandaged a month later? on top of the fact that most animal bite wounds are never heavily bandaged because of the risk of infection, (even with heavy anti-biotics) unless there is are drains present. He's lying. I think it would be nice if he fell into the vulture cage at the zoo and cracked his skull in three places and died and the vultures ate him, the kitties might get a tummy ache....

[redangie24]

Your right don't want to be upsetting the poor kitties tummies!!!!

[Mia]

Ugh...losing his pension isn't punishment enough as far as I am concerned. Someone who can do that to an animal, especially a dog, is an inch away from doing that to a vulnerable person.

Not showing any kind of mental stability there as far as I am concerned and I don't want him loose in society.