Ashley Johnston, 18, and his 17-year-old friend James Howell are now each charged with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and one count of cruelty to a dog or cat in the first degree (torture). Both are Class C Felonies, each punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Michael Jackson is the District Attorney for Alabama's 4th Judicial Circuit, which includes Wilcox County. He says the reason the teens no longer face misdemeanor animal cruelty charges is due to the horrific nature of the crime. His office has also filed a petition to charge the 17-year-old suspect as an adult (Note: He was successful and he has now been identified as James Howell of Phillippi Rd in Camden Alabama).
"There is no excuse for killing three puppies and cutting their heads off. It's sad and outrageous," Jackson said. "We felt like given the horrific nature of these crimes, that these charges needed to be felonies."
Wilcox County Sheriff Earnest Evans said the initial investigation indicates Johnston used his cell phone to record the 17-year-old throwing the puppies in the air and killing them with a machete at a home on Highway 10 West near Camden.
(TheMonstersAmongUs.com - March 15, 2015)
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