TIMES ARGUS, VT - A woman facing jail time for "staring" at a police dog had charges against her dropped Monday after an Orange County prosecutor viewed videotape of the alleged crime. Jayna Hutchinson, now of Lebanon, N.H., was scheduled for a jury trial this week on a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals.
A Vermont State Police sergeant said Hutchinson was intoxicated and stared at his police dog in a "taunting/harassing manner" last July while officers were in the process of investigating a reported melee outside a West Fairlee establishment.
"Prosecuting a woman for staring at a police dog is absurd," said Kelly Green, a public defender appointed by Vermont District Court in Orange County to represent Hutchinson. She likened the act to giving a police officer the finger – a form of expression protected by rights accorded under the First Amendment.
"After looking at the video, I did not think it was worthwhile proceeding," Orange County State's Attorney Will Porter said Tuesday.
2 Comments:
At a minimum, that cop should get docked a day's pay, with a mark in his record.
But he won't, of course.
If this wasn't true, it would have made a great thread on Boston Legal. Intoxicated or Not, it might be noted that facing & staring directly at an agressive dog might not be the wizest thing to do... maybe this dog was on a leash at the time.
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