Dog-burning case will be tried again
From Sun courts reporter Tricia Bishop (this post has been updated):
Prosecutors said Friday that they will retry the animal-cruelty case against brothers Travers and Tremayne Johnson, who were accused of fatally setting fire to a pitbull in 2009, after the first trial ended in a hung jury Monday.
The new trial is scheduled for May 4.
"The Court's order prohibiting public comment about the case remains in effect. We will respect the Court's order and look forward to the retrial," Baltimore State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein said in a statement.
The brothers' father, Charles Johnson, expressed disgust when told of the decision. Prosecutors "just want them to be guilty," he said. "With all the publicity, how can they have a fair trial?"The case drew national attention and outrage from animal welfare advocates shocked by the brutality of the May 27, 2009 attack in West Baltimore. The female dog, later nicknamed Phoenix by rescue workers, was doused in accelerant, set alight and left to burn to death. A Baltimore police officer found her and put out the flames, but Phoenix didn't survive. She was euthanized five days later.
Thousands of dollars in reward donations were pledged to find her killers, identified by police from a blurry surveillance video as then 17-year-old twins, Travers and Tremayne Johnson. They brothers were charged in the crime.
But after a multi-day day trial and a lengthy deliberation period, jurors were split last week, voting 11 to one in favor of conviction. The final note they sent to the judge said a consensus was impossible.
The prosecution's case was largely circumstantial, relying on the video and a police sergeant's interpretation of it. While most jurors found the officer's testimony credible, according to interviews, one woman believed there was reasonable doubt, leading to a mistrial.
Members of the city's anti-animal abuse commisson, created after Phoenix was killed, called the decision to retry the case "great news."
"We're very gratified that the state's attorney's office has elected to [re]try the case," said commission chair woman, Caroline Griffin. "I think the message it sends is that we as as city will no longer tolerate these crimes and that we will do our utmost to hold abuseres accountable."
But after a multi-day day trial and a lengthy deliberation period, jurors were split last week, voting 11 to one in favor of conviction. The final note they sent to the judge said a consensus was impossible.
The prosecution's case was largely circumstantial, relying on the video and a police sergeant's interpretation of it. While most jurors found the officer's testimony credible, according to interviews, one woman believed there was reasonable doubt, leading to a mistrial.
Members of the city's anti-animal abuse commisson, created after Phoenix was killed, called the decision to retry the case "great news."
"We're very gratified that the state's attorney's office has elected to [re]try the case," said commission chair woman, Caroline Griffin. "I think the message it sends is that we as as city will no longer tolerate these crimes and that we will do our utmost to hold abuseres accountable."
Posted by Justin Fenton at 12:42 PM | Permalink
| Comments (21)
Categories: Breaking news, Courts and the justice system
Categories: Breaking news, Courts and the justice system
Comments
YES! YES! YES! Thank you Prosecutors and the states attorneys office. Finally - some good news!
I hope we get a 100% guilty verdict with the retrial.
Posted by: Jaime | February 11, 2011 1:27 PM
There is some justice in Baltimore City. It is not a question of whether or not, the "burning was of a dog", but rather a moral necessity that these two young men be held accountable for their actions.
Moral choice is what sets humans apart from all other species.
The lack of morality lessens the human community.
Posted by: michela caudill | February 11, 2011 1:31 PM
Please get those boys behind bars this time. If I had seen the boys commit this act, I would have definintely gotten involved & I would NOT have hung the jury! Let them find out what it is like to
damage a life while the life is alive!
Posted by: J. G. Newton | February 11, 2011 1:36 PM
I hope they get 30 years. In the old days . They would have got the same treatment
Posted by: jake | February 11, 2011 1:37 PM
Can you hear me shouting from the rooftops?????? YES...YES...YES!!! Oh happy day! We love you Phoenix!
Posted by: JeanneG | February 11, 2011 1:40 PM
I'm glad to see they are going to retry this case. This is awful and justice needs to be done for Phoenix. Evil twins that should be convicted and given life to take this poor dogs life in such a horrific way
Posted by: Bonnie Hulme | February 11, 2011 2:03 PM
May 4th can't come soon enuf.
Posted by: karen crane | February 11, 2011 2:23 PM
YAY! These two wretched wastes of human DNA should be tossed into an oubliette, on fire. This crime is so repellent and outrageous it curdles my blood. I am thrilled to learn that they will be re-tried. I hope the stupid hold out juror suffers many sleepless nights for their cruel indifference to the evidence. If there is a heaven, this poor dog resides there now, restored and refreshed. These two are headed for the opposite destination one day and I delight in that certainty. May these dog torturers suffer unending misery the rest of their days.
Posted by: Iig | February 11, 2011 2:23 PM
I call for all animal lovers to set up signs around their house and their employment, and their schools to let the world know what they did, post their pictures on facebook and myspace - make them the scourge of the east coast. This is just one step from doing the same to a human - these boys are not human - they are animals. Put them in jail and for life. And the juror should have them live with him/her, his/her family and wait to see what happens to their kids, their wives and their pets.
Posted by: Kat | February 11, 2011 2:24 PM
Some advice Prosecutor, move to try it in the County where there might be a jury with no immediate family members in jail....
Posted by: blondie0606 | February 11, 2011 2:33 PM
The post by michela caudill basically says it all. After the next trial perhaps the family will be less 'thrilled' Says a lot about what goes on with this group and where these evil twins are coming from. Maybe justice will prevail this go-around....
Posted by: ruth | February 11, 2011 2:42 PM
Good, and maybe this time we can make sure we don't have an animal hater on the jury? It was horrible to think that they were going to walk away from this scott free.
Posted by: Paul Tupelo | February 11, 2011 3:15 PM
Really?? Sending those boys 2 jail 4 killing a dog. Give me a break. I wonder would u punk animal lovers feel the same way if it had been a child. Animals are property. U people need to get a life.
Posted by: DGreen | February 11, 2011 4:26 PM
More tax dollars wasted on a dead dog! I think burning dogs is horrible, but they are shooting people everyday and not re-trying those cases! What this says to me is that a dog life is more important than a humans life. At least a black humans life!
Posted by: 410man | February 11, 2011 5:25 PM
First of all, many people don't look at animals as a piece of property. Many do believe they are companions. I bet you probably never allowed yourself to love an animal or receive the companionship they offer in return. You probably don't even know what love is anyhow. It's kind of like talking a brick wall with people like you. I feel sorry for you - I can even hear the ignorance coming from your post. Get some depth to your character before your start spouting off words. It's people like you, who are complacent and don't value anything, that allow animal cruelty and crime to keep happening. It's not okay. Animals do not have anyone speaking out for them. They are defenseless. No one is saying they are more important than a child. It is the lack of respect for any life and the behavior that is exhibited more and more these days. By the way, there is a correlation between animal cruelty and violence towards people and if you don't think so then you've got your head buried pretty deep.
Posted by: LNic | February 11, 2011 6:53 PM
@410man
maybe if more LIVING black humans stood up to speak for the MURDERD black humans you would have a point.
remeber the 70 yr old man mudered for his scooter.
what about the 14 yr old boy mudered on dec 23 on ashburton and mosher.
who has spoken? WHO HAS SPOKEN?
u r full of sh t
Posted by: ya know what | February 11, 2011 8:12 PM
I absolutely do believe that every single one of these "punk animal lovers" including myself would feel just as angry if two men had set a child on FIRE. The alleged actions of these two men are equal to torture and sadism.
Posted by: kelly | February 11, 2011 10:15 PM
I am glad Mr.Bernstein's Office is take this case to trial again. A message has to be sent this type of behavior will not be tolerated.
Posted by: Bill | February 12, 2011 12:29 PM
Waste of tax dollars? This could all be fixed with less than $10 worth of shotgun shells! These two are a waste of time and oxygen! They have forfeited their right to exist!
Posted by: SFC J. Simmons, US Army, Retired | February 12, 2011 12:35 PM
How can we help you Mr Bernstein, to ensure that these two individuals receive the maximum penality they deserve?
What will it take to avenge the suffering this puppy endured unnecessarily and bring justice?
I hope the jury sees a reenactment of what the scene looked like when Phoenix was being burned by the two boys (or whatever they are - they don't deserve to be called humans or have rights of humans). That way jurors can feel the pain and suffering of defenseless animal. The true unspeakable, atrocious and violent acts of these two boys can be felt by watching the reenactment and the jury needs to look at them for who and what they are; monsters.
Additionally, the reward money I read about that was raised pertaining to this case shouldn't go to a particular individual but be given to organizations that help care for animals who have been abused and need help.
We should also consider making donations for a statue of Phoenix in memory of her suffering..That Statue should be placed in an appropriate Baltimore location where it can be a reminder to all that we will no longer condone or accept this evil behavior and unspeakable acts towards any animal and severe penalities will occur as a result.
I truly hope the system doesn't let Phoenix down again or the multitude of people hoping the justice will prevail.
Mr. Bernstein, please figure out a way to lock these boys (monsters) up for good. They should never have the privilege of being near another animal again. This won't be the last time they hurt an animal if they're allowed to get away with this, again.. they don't value life; animal nor human.
Posted by: AG | February 14, 2011 7:26 PM
Yes this makes me happy because there needs to be justice and these criminals need to be taught a serious lesson. They obviously have issues they did this out of pure amusement. Thank god for a retrial and they better be found guilty this time.
Posted by: alicia | February 16, 2011 12:46 AM