Justice sought for viciously murdered fawn!

Euclid woman faces charges of beating fawn to death after finding it in her flowers

EUCLID -- Maybe Dorothy Richardson was scared, or maybe she was protecting her flower garden. Whatever the reason, the 75-year-old Euclid woman is accused of beating a fawn to death.
Richardson faces charges of animal cruelty from the incident, which occurred June 15 at her home near the Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Creek Reservation.
"Everybody's very upset over this," said Euclid Animal Control officer Ann Mills, who requested the warrant. "This is my first for a beating like that -- it makes you sick to your stomach, you know?" 
Witnesses told Mills that Richardson beat the young deer in the head with a shovel because it was sitting in her flower bed.
None of the witnesses who provided statements to police could be reached for comment Tuesday. That includes Euclid City Councilman Christopher Gruber.
Tuesday evening, a woman matching Richardson's description adjusted an automatic sprinkler on her property. When asked if Richardson was home, the woman offered the business card of Gregory Thomas, a Cleveland attorney. Thomas did not respond to a call seeking comment.
Neighbors, some who declined to give their names, described Richardson as an amiable woman who tends to her garden. Some were surprised to hear the details of what she is accused of doing.
"That doesn't sound right," said a neighbor who called Richardson friendly and churchgoing. "That is just not like her."
But another neighbor who made a statement to police said that he overheard her discussing the killing with another resident.
" 'I killed it -- I killed it dead,' " he recalled her saying, because she had worked hard on her plants. "And I'd kill it again." He said he was sympathetic to the attention the incident created.
Clifford Johnson, another neighbor, said, "She's scared, she's 75, she made a horrible mistake, but it's gotten to the point where people are calling her and talking about killing her."
Johnson was listed in the police report under the heading "others involved," but he could not explain why.
The city's cruelty to animals charge is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. Euclid Law Director Chris Frey said Tuesday that he plans to add a state cruelty charge, which is a second-degree misdemeanor, to give the judge more sentencing options, considering Richardson's age. The state charge is punishable by a maximum 90 days in jail and $750 fine.
Frey said he has received dozens of e-mails from across the country urging him to prosecute the case to its fullest.
But some neighbors said that the outrage is overblown and that details of the incident have been exaggerated.
"She shoved it on the shoulder and the deer fell over," said another neighbor, who has spoken to Richardson and did not want to give her name. "You have to understand where she comes from -- she's a country girl."
Female deer leave their fawns in secluded spots while they forage for food. The fawns avoid being eaten by predators by remaining still until their mothers return. Young fawns are still nursing and do not eat flowers and other foliage, Division of Wildlife spokeswoman Jamey Graham said.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/07/euclid_woman_faces_charges_of.html#4254114
Posted by Trevor Hunnicutt/Plain Dealer Reporter July 07, 2009 22:02PM
Plain Dealer reporter Donna J. Miller contributed to this story

Also view a detailed article posted by Jeff Piorkowski on July 1, 2009: Euclid woman, 75, charged in fatal beating of fawn http://blog.cleveland.com/euclidsunjournal/2009/07/woman_75_charged_in_fatal_beat.html

And The League of Humane Voters of Ohio blog on the issue, providing in depth information: http://lohvohio.blogspot.com/ 

Euclid Prosecutors' Office
Euclid City Hall
585 East 222nd Street, Euclid, OH 44123
Fax: (216) 289-2766
You can e-mail Law Director, Chris Frey, at cfrey@cityofeuclid.com and ask him to forward your letters to the Prosecutor.
Urge the Prosecutor's Office to take this case seriously and to NOT show any leniency to Dorothy Richardson, because of her age. Richardson showed no mercy and she should serve as an example that animal cruelty will not be tolerated in Euclid. Unfortunately, Ohio does NOT have a felony animal cruelty law, so the maximum penalty for this heinous crime is 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine, so urge the Prosecutor to seek this sentencing from the Judge. Under no circumstances should a diversionary program, probation, or a lessened sentence be sought.

Make your letters polite, but passionate, and ask the Prosecutor to share them with the Judge before sentencing. Let the Prosecutor and Judge know how this vicious crime has affected you.

You can also contact the Judge directly:
Judge LeBarron
555 222nd Street
Euclid OH 44123
FAX (216) 289-8254
http://us.mc823.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=dlebarron@cityofeuclid.com