Legal Resources
Defendant was charged and located guilty of first-degree animal cruelty with a domestic violence designation and likewise two sentencing aggravators. On attraction, the Court of Appeals vacated the domestic violence designation and the influence on others sentence aggravator. On appeal here, the Supreme Court found that animal cruelty might be designated a legal offense of home violence. The statute defining domestic violence has a non-exhaustive listing of what crimes can constitute Law Info home violence. While animal cruelty is not listed, the courtroom discovered that testament of defendant’s prior controlling habits coupled with research showing how abusers use violence towards their victims’ pets to manipulate and terrorize victims was adequate. As to the sentencing aggravator, the courtroom found that defendant’s actions had a harmful and foreseeable influence on the witnesses who saw the animal cruelty.
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