Tammy Grimes says "Let's make it easy for you—I did it."
Tipton, PA — September 3, 2007 — Tammy Grimes, founder of Dogs Deserve Better, a national nonprofit working to end the suffering endured by dogs who are kept chained or penned for life, today released a statement in response to District Attorney Richard Consiglio's attempt to bar all defense evidence from the courtroom.
An article in Saturday, September 1st's Altoona Mirror states: "Consiglio on Thursday filed a request to exclude testimony during the trial [from]...a veterinarian as an expert witness to discuss the dog's condition," as well as videotape of the dog and any reference to the dog as being 'abandoned property'.
Grimes aided a dog September 11, 2006, who'd lain chained and on the ground for 3 days, unable to stand and without enforcement of existing cruelty laws. She was subsequently arrested after refusing to return the dog who she dubbed Doogie to his abusive environment.
Grimes response to the DA is as follows:
"Mr. Consiglio has stated that 'the Grimes case has nothing to do with canine rights.' On the contrary, this case has everything to do with Doogie's rights—his right to live free of abuse being already inherent in Pennsylvania anti-cruelty laws.
Whether you bar the evidence or not, the fact remains that laws were being broken for at least three days before I got there. Yet you've shown no interest in pursuing cruelty charges against the perpetrators.
It's a shame you choose not to uphold those laws, especially when the Michael Vick case clearly shows that most of America actually CARES about Man's Best Friend. I'm sorry the police force of East Freedom, Pennsylvania and District Attorney Richard Consiglio apparently do not.
My case not only has to do with the right of a dog not to be abused as per already-existing Pennsylvania laws, but also has to do with MY rights—my right to defend myself in a court of law being first and foremost.
If you take away my right to defend myself, which is what you are seeking to do, then let me go ahead and make it easy for you:
I T-O-O-K T-H-E D-O-G.
Throw me in jail.
I will not pay you a dime.
I have the right to defend my actions, and without evidence I have no defense.
This case has nothing to do with theft and everything to do with inadequacy. Inadequacy of enforcement, inadequacy of investigation, and inadequacy of prosecution.
In seeking to convict me, you actually seek instead to cover up your own inadequacies.
I will gladly go to jail for Doogie, and I would do so a thousand times over. I am not scared nor intimidated. Barring my evidence cannot stop it from being viewed by the public, which has happened over 50,000 times on YouTube, as well as on local and national news. You may seek to hide the truth, but the truth always finds its way out.
Doogie's truth is my truth, and HIS truth WILL set us BOTH free."
Dogs Deserve Better (www.dogsdeservebetter.org) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization headquartered in Tipton, Pennsylvania, is the 2003 First Place Winner of the ASPCA Pet Protector Award, and currently has over 150 area reps in 38 states as well as in Canada and France.
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