We, The Undersigned, ask Judge Jay Doherty to investigate and remove from the bench Judge Preston Dean.

Our reasons are as follows:

1. Judge Dean allowed one Michael T. Welch to go free after he "self confessed" in a court of law to the premeditated brutal murder of Dusty, a shelter dog. Welch savagely beat Dusty to death with a ball bat and admitted to taking beer breaks in between blows. The FBI states that the identity of a victim is not the important factor but the severity of the violent act that should be considered. Judge Dean ignored this. Instead, he gave Welch no jail time and no fines and stated to Welch "if you don't get into any more trouble this won't even be on your record".

2. Judge Dean has caused the public to lose faith in the Judicial system. The Judiciary is now held in poor repute by the community as his decision does not reflect the views of the public he serves.

3. Judge Dean ignored a petition that had obtained 50,000 signatures asking that Welch be sentenced to the maximum penalty allowed by law for his heinous crime. Dean did not consider these signatures and he did not care that these people did not want this man free on their streets.

4. Judge Dean ignored the laws of MO. There is a law in place that penalizes and sends to jail anyone who commits animal torture and/or abuse. A decision like Dean's could put animal rights and welfare back 20 years.

5. Judge Dean should be investigated and his records of punishment checked. Is he in the habit of letting potentially murderous people "off the hook"?

6. Law enforcement made sure the case made it to the courts. A considerable amount of time and money went into this. Judge Dean did not consider the amount of time and/or taxpayer money used to get this case to the courts.