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Louisiana Man Sentenced To Five Years in Jail For Beating Calf To Death To Vent After Loss of Saints to Cowboys

David J. LeBlanc Jr. will be going to jail for five years for a horrific crime of beating a newborn calf to death in front of friends after the New Orleans Saints lost to the Dallas Cowboys last season. Also convicted in the case were Dwayne J. Jenkins, 36, Christopher R. Murphy, 27 and Carnie B. Smith, 29. Smith stole the calf to be beated to death by LeBlanc.

The men dragged the calf to a parking lot during a Saints party and LeBlanc proceeded to beat it to death with a shovel. Jenkins and Smith watched and Murphy removed the calf’s carcass and dumped it. Murphy later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of misdemeanor theft and also was placed on probation.

State District Judge Martin Coady handed down the sentence for the use of “a dangerous weapon” to cause the “painful death” of a defenseless animal. I can certainly understand the sentence in light of the crime, but I would not call a shovel a “dangerous weapon.”

LeBlanc asked for mercy, explaining “[prison] would ruin my life completely. I have a kid on the way. I could not do that.” He will have to try.

Source: Dallas News

Jonathan Turley

26 thoughts on “Louisiana Man Sentenced To Five Years in Jail For Beating Calf To Death To Vent After Loss of Saints to Cowboys”

  3. James,

    I don’t know what happened in TX. In restropect, I wish that I hadn’t posted that comment…)

    What this guy did is beyond despicable… — it’s horrific. A friend of mine (who happens to be an attorney) refers to guys like this as “sub-human garbage.”

    Something is terribly wrong with someone who could, even in a drunken stupor, commit such an act. One has to wonder about drug use. Or, is he, as some might suggest, simply a sociopath.

  4. While I agree that a slaughter house by its very name is perhaps not the best place to carry on human commerce as we all know but I will say that this piece of worthless human drek willfully carried out his feelings to a degree that is beyond repulsive took something that was basically defenseless killed it in a manner that was inhumane and only for his only selfish gratification probably to show his buddies what a tough guy he really was, then has the total gall to whine like a baby in front of a judge that he has a kid on the way. Give me a break, take a look at the pic of the guy, there not a lick of intelligence or compassion it that face that pops up on the screen. The mans a total utter loser and social reject. Only in Louisiana eh!!!

  5. rcampbell and rafflaw,

    Regarding, “I agree with your comment about apples and oranges when comparing a Texas incident to anywhere else on earth.”

    Point well taken. 🙂

  6. Let me try to redeem myself, at least a little … 🙂

    What follows is a comment pulled from “The Dallas News.” (In posting it, I simply wanted to know what others thought about it… And now I know… 🙂 I wasn’t saying or implying that the guy should have his sentence suspended — it’s the conclusion of the person who wrote the comment, not mine.)

    Beginning of comment from “The Dallas News”:

    Note the disparity.. in Jan 2009

    A 45-year-old Texas businessman Jeffrey Hawn who engineered the slaughter of 32 bison in South Park last winter was sentenced today to 10 days in the Park County jail for cruelty to animals. What they (bison) experienced, said the judge, was “severe cruelty.”
    32 bison (26 were pregnant cows)= 10 days,
    1 calf = 5 years

    He needs to have his sentenced suspended

    End of comment fron “The Dallas News”

  7. Five years seems extreme, but with all of the animal abuses that go unpunished, this may cause someone to think twice..or maybe just think, before they take their cruelty out on helpless animals. It would also be comforting if the abuser were to have some rehabilitation and not just jail time. I still have to believe that he can become more humane if his awareness were heightened. The animals of Louisiana can be glad the Saints’ won this year.

  8. rcampbell,
    I agree with your comment about apples and oranges when comparing a Texas incident to anywhere else on earth.

  10. The sentence is on the severe side but I think it’s fair. As for the shovel being a dangerous weapon: objectively any item made up from a shaft of wood with a metal flange on the end is highly lethal when used as a weapon. It’s not as dangerous as a .44 magnum, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous at all.

  11. What BIL said.

    anon nurse:

    That’s not really a fair comparative story to the featured article. The incident in your story happened in Texas, the Professor’s story happened on earth.

  12. The following comment was posted to the linked article:

    Note the disparity.. in Jan 2009

    A 45-year-old Texas businessman Jeffrey Hawn who engineered the slaughter of 32 bison in South Park last winter was sentenced today to 10 days in the Park County jail for cruelty to animals. What they (bison) experienced, said the judge, was “severe cruelty.”

    32 bison (26 were pregnant cows)= 10 days,

    1 calf = 5 years

    He needs to have his sentenced suspended

    ——–

    To the judge’s credit, a psychiatric evaluation was ordered… for all the good it will probably do… The guy obviously has some serious issues, “anger” being one of them.

  13. This guy should not only spend more time in jail, the DCFS authorities in Louisiana should be monitoring how this creep will be raising the child he is expecting. Wasn’t he also a participant in the theft of the animal? He is one sick individual.

  14. Got to go with Bob on this one as a sentencing matter and agree with the rest of the posters as a matter of principle.

    What a wonderful specimen of humanity.

    Makes me wish I was a bear.

  15. Calves are as sentient as infants. What sentence would be appropriate if he had used a mere shovel on an infant?

    Human exceptionalism at its finest. (/srcsm)

  17. What do you expect, its Louisiana. He should have said he was going to BBQ it along with some nutria and gator. As long as you eat it, its all right to beat it.

    5 years? You should see how “legitimate” slaughter houses treat your dinner. It is a ridiculous sentence in light of the animal abuse that takes place at slaughter houses all over this country.

  18. This is part of the reason I don’t eat veal.

    However five years for beating the butcher to the punch seems a tad hysterical.

  19. What a terrible story.

    When pleading with the judge for a light sentence, he said, “…I have a kid on the way.”

    I can’t even imagine what it would be like to call this guy “Daddy.” If there’s any silver lining… perhaps, the child will now have a fighting chance.

  20. FIVE YEARS???………..WTF??……….. Lets try say 20 as to me that makes a hell of a lot more sense given that it was a stupid football game……….and plus he does it in front of his friends?????……….HEY BUDDY……….IT WAS A GAME YOU DOLT…
    get a life when you get out in 5 years…………..if you survive prison

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