Joseph Nelson, accused of mutilating his mother's dog, entered a plea, saying he's guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals, which is a felony.
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| Joseph Nelson |
Nelson was arrested last November in connection with the death of his sister’s dog, Demayo. The Jack Russell Terrier mix was found hanging by his leash from a pedestrian bridge.
[Another news story lists Demayo as a mix of Miniature Pinscher, Jack Russell, Chihuahua and Dachshund.]
Nelson had apparently killed the small dog by swinging him on his leash by the neck and slamming him against a dog house approximately 10-12 times until Nelson got tired. Nelson then kicked the small dog in the head several times. Nelson then picked up a bicycle and threw it on the dog. He then dragged the little dog away by his leash.
Nelson's friend, who was with him the night of the brutal slaying, said he attempted to stop Nelson, but Nelson attacked him and kicked him in the ribs.
When officers arrived on the scene at the bridge, they were shocked to see the little dog's internal organs had been cut out, there were multiple lacerations on his neck and body and his left eyeball had been cut out and was lying about six feet away from Demayo's body. It is unknown whether the dog was already dead by the time Nelson began mutilating his body.
At the time of his arrest, his mother told investigators her son was "heavily involved" in methamphetamines.
Nelson was charged as an adult, although he was 17 at the time, but the other charges against him have now been dropped.
He'll be sentenced next month.
(NBC11 - Sept 13, 2012)
