KARLEY'S KILLER FOUND GUILTY OF FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES!

[Guest guest]

YES, YES, YES!!!! Hopefully he'll get the full 4 years of prison time!

 

FIRE CHIEF FOUND GUILTY OF FELONY ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGES

 

RIVERSIDE, CA - January 26, 2010- Los Angeles Assistant Fire Chief, Glynn

Johnson, has been found guilty of felony animal cruelty with special

circumstances, (maximum penalty of up to 3 years) and use of a deadly weapon to

commit a felony (maximum penalty of up to 1 year) after brutally beating to

death a 6 month old puppy named Karley who belonged to Jeff and Shelley Toole of

Riverside, CA.

 

In November 2008, Karley had gotten out of the Toole’s backyard and was being

brought back by neighbor, Travis Skaggs when Johnson offered to bring her back

himself. Staggs said he had only taken his eyes off Johnson for a split second

when he witnessed the fire chief erupt in violence, punching Karley 10-15 times

in the head first with his fist, then with a 12 lb rock. Karley was so severely

beaten that she had to be euthanized hours later.

 

Last Chance for Animals (LCA) and supporters of Karley held numerous protests

and rallies for “Justice 4 Karley!†After Johnson was arrested and charged

with two felony counts in December 2008, LCA held a large rally and press

conference thanking the DA for bringing charges against Johnson and asking him

to prosecute Johnson to the fullest extent possible by law. LCA also asked L.A.

Fire Chief P. Michael Freeman to fire Johnson and to severely restrict his

retirement pension.

 

Johnson’s trial began on January 6, 2010. District Attorney Will Robinson’s

opening statement was made in front of bloody photos of Karley, telling the

judge and jury that Johnson attacked Karley in vengeance, after years of

fighting with the Toole family. Over the years, Johnson had engaged in shouting

matches with the Toole’s using a bullhorn and had placed dog excrement in

their mailbox. “This was not an isolated event. There was a long history of

anger and frustration beyond the typical neighbor dispute,†Robinson stated.

 

The D.A. questioned Johnson about his violent past, bringing up an incident

which is documented in police reports where Glynn attacked his 14 year old

daughter Amber in their backyard after an argument. Johnson pushed his daughter

to the ground, hitting her with the buckle end of his belt several times. He

then dragged his daughter back into the house where he proceeded to beat her

again, shouting “I wish you were dead.â€

 

“Without LCA’s involvement, we could not have gone on with this case. LCA

has given us the strength to keep going. It was from the demonstrations and

vigils that LCA organized that convinced the DA to take this case and

prosecute,†said Shelley Toole. Fellow firefighters showed up at Johnson’s

trial with the slogan “Firefighters against Animal Abuse†on their t-shirts.

Supporters of Karley will now be focusing on getting Karley’s law passed now

that Johnson has been found guilty.

 

Johnson’s sentencing has been scheduled for March 8, 2010. He faces up to four

years in prison.

 

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