Friends, you will remember the hideous case of Luke, the family dog who was shot in the face with a shotgun last month. We have been working tirelessly since the shooting to bring the perpetrator to justice, and last week we held a courthouse vigil to keep the pressure on in Mississippi. Sadly those calls fell on deaf ears.

Luke, a Malamute-Husky mix dog, beloved by his family and neighbors was maliciously shot in the face with a 12 gage shotgun on June 13^th. His family wasn’t home, but his adjacent neighbor heard the shot and rushed to out to discover a neighbor from up the road clutching his shotgun and Luke running screaming into the wooded area behind his home. The witness, whose six children regularly play with Luke, immediately called law enforcement.

Neighbor and suspect, Eddie Gene Mathews was intoxicated when law enforcement arrived at his home. Mathews admitted to shooting Luke and was arrested.

Last week was Mathew’s arraignment on animal cruelty charges. He should have also been arrested for firing a weapon from the road.

At the arraignment Mathews uttered audible sounds, spoke aloud, and even saluted the judge. Leflore County presiding Justice Court Judge Jim Campbell had to ask Mathews for his plea four times before Mathews Mathews  finally pled guilty.

Mathews contempt of court was completely ignored by Judge Campbell who handed down a pitiful $500 fine and a suspended six- month jail term.

Mathews’ crime squarely falls under MSSS 97-41-16 (2) (b), aggravated cruelty to a dog or cat, a statute that carries a minimum $1,000 fine and maximum $2,500 fine with a maximum jail term of six months.

For Mathews to have received half the minimum fine for this crime is intolerable in a civilized society that claims “Justice for All”.  Rich or poor, ill or well, justice must be equal and standard, or there is no justice.

We still have a lot of work ahead of us as we push for Justice for Animals. Please take a stand for justice and support our work to protect animals like Luke.