Submitted by Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Twenty five year-old Ryan James Stephens will probably never be confused with actors Rex Harrison or Eddie Murphy but he may be the new Dr. Doolittle. Stephens has been charged with violating Cincinnati’s ordinance prohibiting citizens from “talking” to police dogs.
Police investigating a car crash at a local pub on April 3rd, testified they heard a police dog secured in the back of a police cruiser barking uncontrollably. When they got to the car, they found Stephens barking and hissing at the animal. Police arrested Stephens for taunting man’s best friend.
Cincinnati lawyer Jim Hardin says Stephens actions are protected free speech. It may not be intelligent speech, but “it’s still speech,” he says. The case is headed for court.
The police report notes that Stephens defended his actions by saying the “dog started it.” Police also report the defendant appeared intoxicated. Imagine that!
Source: Yahoo News
~Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
BIL, That’s right! The dog was demon possessed; thanks for the reminder.
LK,
Berkowitz claimed Satan was talking through his neighbor’s dog. Big difference. A dog telling a joke is one thing, but Lucifer using it as an intercom quite another. 😉
Rafflaw, wasn’t that also the defense of the Son of Sam killer? Didn’t work to well for Berkowitz as I recall. Maybe this poor guy will have better luck. 🙂
patric and pete,
Great suggestions! The dog made me do it!
pete,
Now there’s a creative defense.
if the dog spoke first, it’s only polite to answer
Rafflaw –
Oh, my God, you’ve hit on it.
The Dog was German-American, which inexorably stirred subconscious,deserved indignation on the part of the primate, who was merely reacting on a visceral level to a perceived Nazi assault?
Case dismissed.
Would it still be speech if the dog managed to get out of the car? What if the defendant used some dog slur to get the pup riled up? 🙂
And yet, perhaps the most depressing aspect of this little “only in America” vignette, is that many of otherwise bright mind, will equate human barking at a restrained animal with fangs, as “speech.”
And in the process, anointing the braying of a jackass – even those bipedal – to the elevated sainthood of a basic human right.
And that, my friends, is what it looks like when a real tail wags the dog.
That was HenMan in his young-man disguise
Ruh-Roh!
AHHHHHH ROOOOOUUUUUAAAAAA……
I suppose I;ll be next….