Comments on: Semper Fido: Investigators Close in on Marine Who Threw Puppy Off Cliff

By: Christine, Fort Belvoir, VA

Christine, Fort Belvoir, VA — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 16:38:24 +0000

The person/persons who committed this heinous act should be stripped of their uniforms and given a dishonorable discharge at once.
A fitting punishment would be to invoke the same treatment on them as they did that poor animal.

The persons who committed this act need a mental evaluation. Such behavior is truly menacing. It is well known that serial killers begin by torturing anmials. These persons are a danger to society and should be treated as such.

If and when they are returned to the U.S., they should be closely monitored and incarcerated in a mental institution for extensive evaluation.

The U.S. armed forces are supposed to set an example for the rest of the world. This behavior should not be tolerated. For those who say it was just an animal’s life that was taken, IT WAS A LIFE-A LIVING BEING which was totally incapable of defending itself.

I truly hope that justice prevails in this case and in similar cases.

This world is changing, and not for the better.

By: scott

scott — Thu, 08 May 2008 14:52:44 +0000

I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but if I had been standing beside that ill adjusted asshole when he threw that dog, I would have shot him dead with my gun and called it friendly fire! I hope he gets his head blown off.

By: Ken

Ken — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 22:12:44 +0000

Well, this old-time conservative thinks Mr. Turley is right and did a good thing when he brought this to our attention.

By: Patty C

Patty C — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:01:00 +0000

“… Patty: I agree that unjustified cruelty implies some form of maladjusted behavior but I don’t want to stigmatize bona fide illness with cruelty that just isn’t there in most cases.”

***

Again, I suggest you are in no position to make that distinction
- sorry.

By: mespo727272

mespo727272 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:23:45 +0000

Deeply: I did log in incorrectly adding the “s” to my usual moniker in my last post. Sorry about that, and I really hope no one is fudging on the names because I like our little discussion group.

By: mespo727272

mespo727272 — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 02:21:56 +0000

Patty: I agree that unjustified cruelty implies some form of maladjusted behavior but I don’t want to stigmatize bona fide illness with cruelty that just isn’t there in most cases.

By: Patty C

Patty C — Thu, 06 Mar 2008 00:19:41 +0000

My point is that even your limited medical knowledge and/or personal experience should tell you, automatically, that a person, any person, who abuses defenseless animals, has mental problems to some substantial degree.

As JT puts forth here – Res ipsa loquitur (”The thing itself speaks”)

By: deeply worried

deeply worried — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:50:06 +0000

Mespo727272,

Are you and “MESPOS727272″ the same?

I only ask because a few days back someone placed some objectionable posts under a close variant of my sign-in….

Not that your reply was in any way objectionable…..

By: mespos727272

mespos727272 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 23:34:53 +0000

Patty C: Without doubt, a medical degree would better qualify me to opine, but I have litigated scores of post-traumatic brain injury cases and the routine defense is PTSD as an alternate diagnosis. For better or worse, I have had to become acquainted with the condition and have more than a rudimentary knowledge of the subject, but far less than your average MD, of course. I defer to them, but I don’t see a rush of physicians lining up to defend this action. Let’s not fall into the trap of credentialism when experience might do just as well.

By: Patty C

Patty C — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 22:47:23 +0000

Forgive me mespo, and please understand that I would ever defend acts of animal cruelty, however, the clinical diagnosis of PTSD and other mental illness, still requires a medical degree in Psychiatry which neither you nor this Marine hold, despite his welcome apology
- unless I miss my guess.

By: Semper Fido: David Motari Allegedly Apologizes for Throwing Puppy Over Cliff « JONATHAN TURLEY

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:43:12 +0000

[...] not unlike throwing a puppy over a cliff. While combat fatigue may be a defense to any crime, click here, it should not alter the fact that this Marine does not appear capable of maintaining proper [...]

By: jonathanturley

jonathanturley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:42:38 +0000

Point well taken Mespo.

By: mespo727272

mespo727272 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:42:00 +0000

JT:
I certainly agree with your comment on stress, but in no way can this be linked with stress. This was a deliberate act involving some perverted sense of humor. He admits that in his my space apology. It’s unfair to guys who really have PTSD to equate this god-awful and cruel horseplay with life threatening stress experienced by men and women under fire.

By: jonathanturley

jonathanturley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:33:53 +0000

Mark:

A Marine has to be able to maintain good order and discipline in a war zone. Acts of cruelty may reflect combat stress, but it also reflects someone who cannot handle such stress.

By: mespo727272

mespo727272 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:29:35 +0000

I saw no bullets flying and I don’t buy this under fire excuse. My family has two decorated combat veterans from WW2 and Korea both wounded under real fire and they deplore this kind of “battlefield excuse.” They are American soldiers and we expect and demand better. Btw I have nothing more important to do that point out, object to, and decry cruelty whenever I see it, and, in my judgment, neither should anyone else.

By: mark

mark — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:23:53 +0000

mespo, he is a soldier under fire. this was in a war zone. i think everybody has more important things to worry about than a soldier doing something stupid while serving the country. the military will handle this according to their own rules & regulations. as far as the internet MOB; they should be ashamed of themselves. google blogs “motari puppy” and you will see numerous examples of your internet MOB.

By: mespo727272

mespo727272 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:19:17 +0000

Good start. When does he report to Leavenworth?

By: mark

mark — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:15:15 +0000

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj90/munclefecker/david-motari-myspace.jpg

It appears he may have issued an apology and an explanation and expressed concern over the harassment his family is receiving.

By: mespo727272

mespo727272 — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 21:07:32 +0000

“A beast does not know that he is a beast, and the nearer a man gets to being a beast, the less he knows it.”

–George MacDonald

By: jonathanturley

jonathanturley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:53:57 +0000

John:

Indeed, the Marine seems to be fighting for his life in this video. What is most remarkable is how small these IEDs can be given the fact that the puppy’s stomach probably only holds a few ounces. I only hope that we can find an appropriate addition near the Iwo JIma memorial Perhaps a heroic Marine tossing a small puppy over a foxhole to save his buddies.

By: John

John — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:48:55 +0000

It is my understanding that the iraqi insurgents are raising these dogs to deliver bombs in suicide terrorist missions against the marines. Isn’t that a factor here? This is a deplorable act of animal abuse on part of the iraqi insurgents. In fact, these terrorists gave the marine no other choice but to preempt a terrorist strike by removing the threat. As usual, the liberal media and the bleeding hearts are all over this. I remind them that if it wasn’t for this proud soldier protecting their freedom, they wouldn’t be in such a position of privilege to insult true american Heros.

By: jonathanturley

jonathanturley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:46:13 +0000

As a father, I think the most difficult thing to deal with is not the outside anger, but the shock that a child that you raised would be capable of such monstrous conduct. It goes without saying that any harassment of this family is a uniquely stupid act — much like throwing a puppy off a cliff.

By: Shocking Video Shows U.S. Soldier Throwing Puppy Off Cliff « JONATHAN TURLEY

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:30:29 +0000

[...] bloggers are working to identify the culprits and claim to have succeeded, click here. As noted here, the Marines believe they may have identified the soldier in [...]

By: Jill

Jill — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 19:07:27 +0000

There is one thing, that if true, I will agree with Mark on. If there has been any hatefullness directed at the family of this marine, that is reprehensible. The marine is responsible for his own actions. Vigilante justice is always disturbing. If we don’t want a violent society then we can’t run around being violent.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:32:29 +0000

Mark, could you please show all of us, JT included of course, WHERE in his column he called for “nothing short of the death penalty for this man?” I read the column twice, maybe three times, and can see nothing close to what you claim.

In any case, why shouldn’t this “marine’s” (quotes intentional) conduct be called for what it is; cruel, barbaric, and outrageous, worthy of all the contempt such an act richly deserves? NO reason that I can see. Or is such contemptuous behavior “okay” with you because “it was only a dog?” That is your obvious implication, as I read it. And I assure you, sir, I DO know how to read.

By: disillusionedbabyboomer

disillusionedbabyboomer — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:24:09 +0000

Let’s see if the Armed Forces really live by the maxim that no-one is above the law or if they have adopted the rule of Bush that is an exemption from the law. If the facts prove to be as depicted in the video of the little puppy being tossed over a cliff like garbage, then this Marine deserves the cell next to Mike Vick. Such cruelty to animals is an oft-cited criterion for predicting anti-social behavior like serial killing or raping. This Marine may have acquitted himself honorably in the field of battle, but he has now squandered whatever good will he had earned. Once his identity is verified, he should be tried, convicted and punished, and then, when he is returned to society, he will be treated as a pariah. Beware the Puppy killer!

By: L

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 17:03:46 +0000

The guy’s from Monroe, Washington, where they raise their kids to be brainless, heartless, and shirtless. I’m kidding – no one here actually raises their children. BTW, the Marine pictured here is standing next to Mr. Motari who actually threw the puppy. As to whether or not the puppy was dead prior to throwing it – dead puppies do not draw up their hindquarters when “scruffed” – live ones always do. If the hindquarters were drawn up due to rigor mortis, then explain why the limbs were flailing upon being chucked over the cliff.

By: jonathanturley

jonathanturley — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 15:06:34 +0000

Mark:

There seem only two possibilities here. First, as Malkin suggests, this was s dead dog and they staged crying to stage this scene. Second, he threw a live puppy over a cliff as a joke. What am I missing here? In either case, it is an outrage. If he staged the scene to cause such an outrage, he has succeeded and will now pay the price. For our part, we are not required to withhold our reactions to such horrific scenes pending trial and appeal. He clearly has a right to deny the charges. However, the only reason that I can see for this investigation is the collective outrage of internet sites and bloggers.

By: mark

mark — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:59:36 +0000

Mr. Turley, I have often wondered just how left you are since I see you regularly regurgitating Keith Olbermann’s points for him regarding your understanding of law.

Now I find you have joined the internet mob that has tried, convicted, and called for nothing short of a death penalty for this man.

Wouldn’t it be more prudent for a man of your caliber to call for waiting for the facts and an investigation. This young man’s family has been attacked, slimed, threatened, and made a spectacle over what very well could be a phony video or what more likely appears to be a dead dog sick joke.

Now I know why I don’t listen much to MSNBC and neither does most of America.