Threats keep animal cruelty suspect from court
Last Updated: Thursday, November 23, 2006 | 11:14 AM MT
CBC News
A young Didsbury, Alta., man accused of animal cruelty in the dragging
death of a dog stayed away from the local courthouse Wednesday on the
advice of his lawyer.
"I was concerned for his safety to be honest with you," lawyer Mark
Takada said of Daniel Haskett,19, who was surrounded by jeering
protesters at his first court appearance.
Daisy Duke was wounded so severely, a veterinarian had to put her down.
(Handout) "I have no problem at all with people standing out here
demonstrating ... But you cross the line when you try to intimidate a
person and try to impede their right to come and go freely."
Haskett's lawyer also said threatening letters have been sent to his
client and one person has been sentenced to a day in jail for making
threatening phone calls.
A small group of protesters were waiting outside court Wednesday.
Last month a Labrador retriever-collie named Daisy Duke was found
bleeding on a road with its muzzle and legs bound with duct tape and a
tow rope around its neck. The dog had to be put down.
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Haskett and a 17-year-old, who can't be named because of his age, have
been charged with injuring or endangering an animal and causing
unnecessary suffering to an animal. Haskett has also been charged with
obstructing justice.
'Ticking time bomb'
Robin Reesal, a Calgary based psychiatrist, said there is reason for
Takada to be concerned.
"When you raise anger and emotion to that level you may be taking a
ticking time bomb and just lighting the fuse of someone out there that
you are unaware of," he said.
People become more emotional about animal cruelty cases than those
involving people because they see animals as helpless creatures, said
Reesal.
Online threats against accused
RCMP said Wednesday they were not aware of any threatening comments
about the accused online, but would investigate if complaints were
made.
An online search turned up a site full of profanity, threats and other
postings suggesting the accused should be bound and dragged behind a
vehicle.
One writer asks for a description of one of the accused, his address
and phone number. The person writes: "Justice will not be served in
court. These people should be tortured..."
Another says: "I would like to slowly torture both of them." The writer
goes on to say: "If he doesn't get punished properly by the law, he may
get punished properly by the people."
Not 'sadistic brutes,' says lawyer
Both of the accused are expected back in court next month.
Takada said the case is complicated and he's not sure how Haskett will
plead.
"He's got a lot of regret about what happened. This is a very sad
situation and he feels very badly about that."
The two accused aren't the "sadistic brutes" they've been made out to
be, he said.
The dog was initially accidentally hit by a vehicle, he said. Takada
says his client is not responsible for dragging the dog behind a car.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2006/11/23/daisyduke-case.html
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