Cruelty against animals is a crime, punishable to the full extent of the law (Penal Code 597). Perpetrators of such heinous acts against innocent animals need to know there is a price they will pay!
In this petition, people want "JUSTICE FOR INDY"
If anyone deserves the maximum punishment for deliberate animal abuse, it is Carlos Efrain Duarte. His malicious attack on the dog, now named Indy, was premeditated, and driving him to a location where Duarte left Indy to die from injuries that Duarte inflicted was deliberate.
California Penal Code section 597(a) states: “Except as provided in subdivision (c) of this section or Section 599c, every person who maliciously and intentionally maims, mutilates, tortures, or wounds a living animal, or maliciously and intentionally kills an animal, is guilty of a crime punishable pursuant to subdivision (d).” Section 597(d) states: “A violation of subdivision (a), (b), or (c) is punishable as a felony by imprisonment pursuant to subdivision (h) of Section 1170, or by a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment, or alternatively, as a misdemeanor by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by a fine of not more than twenty thousand dollars ($20,000), or by both that fine and imprisonment.”
There is no doubt that Carlos Efrain Duarte violated California Penal Code section 597, and it is imperative that he be sentenced to the full extent of the law, with no exceptions. It is requested that Duarte not be deported from the State of California without first serving the imposed sentence.
Carlos Efrain Duarte should also be ordered by the Honorable Judge to pay restitution for the total cost of veterinary medical expenses to Westlake Animal Hospital.
Lastly, had Carlos Efrain Duarte not been caught on surveillance video committing his egregious act, he would likely continue to abuse helpless animals, which is often a reliable indicator of human/domestic violence.
The Honorable Judge should also consider mandating that Duarte receive professional psychiatrist counseling while he is serving his time in prison, with the hope that he may be rehabilitated prior to his release.
