Seeking Felony Indictment for Puppy’s Torturous Death
- by: Anita Solomon
- recipient: Paul Howard, DA, Fulton County District Attorney
Two brothers accused of torturing and killing a puppy by baking it in an oven were sentenced to 10 years in prison today.
Joshua and Justin Moulder entered a packed courtroom Friday morning. Animal rights activists and supporters for the brothers filled the seats.
Both brothers pleaded guilty to a 10 count felony indictment, which included charges of aggravated animal cruelty.
Prosecutors called witnesses who testified about the brothers' criminal pasts and juvenile records.
Joshua Moulder's criminal records contained charges of burglary, criminal trespass and battery, while Justin Moulder was convicted of shoplifting and child molestation as a juvenile.
Prosecutors also brought in 5,000 letters sent to the District Attorney's office and 17,000 signatures on a petition in support of prison time for the brothers.
Prosecutors said the letters and the signatures on the petition came from all over the country and all over the world.
The judge in the case said she would not use public opinion to make her decision.
"I have not viewed any of the letters and will not view any of the letters or petitions. I've not viewed the petitions either. We will take what has been the evidence in this case, presented in this court. Where there has been the opportunity for the State to present, the defense to cross examine and vice versa," said Judge Thelma Wyatt Cummings Moore.
Spokesperson for this case, Amanda Prentice 404-285-5707, gadove2003@juno.com
You can also send an email thanking Fulton DA Paul Howard for his conviction that felony animal cruelty is a very serious crime.
Emails to DA Paul Howard: stopcruelty@atlantahumane.org
See www.fultonda.org to see his letter to Governor Sonny Purdue.
A BLOG has been set up by other animal lovers horrified by this case and started a lobbying effort to convince the Georgia state legislature to increase penalties for animal torture, as requested by Paul Howard, the DA prosecuting the puppy's killers.
http://georgiapuppytorture.blogspot.com/ This blog will also provide you with all the updates on this case as they occur.
If you live in GA. PLEASE make arrangements to attend this trial. We cannot let them walk free!
Joshua Moulder, age 17, and brother Justin have been accused of Aggravated Cruelty to an animal and two other charges, and are currently jailed without bond. This petition, however, is focused on the Aggravated Cruelty charge. (See article below signatures.)
We ask that the DA of Fulton County, Paul Howard or the attorney assigned to this case, aggressively seek indictment of a felony for this heinous criminal act based on the Anti-Cruelty Statutes of Georgia:
16-12-4. Cruelty to animals
c) A person commits the offense of aggravated cruelty to animals when he or she knowingly and maliciously causes death or physical harm to an animal by rendering a part of such animal's body useless or by seriously disfiguring such animal. A person convicted of the offense of aggravated cruelty to animals shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine not to exceed $15,000.00, or both, provided that any person who is convicted of a second or subsequent violation of this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than five years, a fine not to exceed the amount provided by Code Section 17-10-8, or both.
12/13/2006:
12/11/2006:
Officers Testify on Puppy Torture
More details Pet-Abuse.Com
http://www.pet-abuse.com/cases/9605/
The Molden brothers are accused of covering a puppy with paint, hog tying it, then trying to set it on fire. When that didn't work, they baked the puppy to death in an oven!
Inez Marshal, president of the community association at the Englewood Manor Apartments in southeast Atlanta where Joshua and Justin Molder lived stated:
(from news article):
“He was still in the oven; he was tied,” said Marshal.
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