Teenagers who killed raccoon should be prosecuted

Last December a raccoon caught in a snare was brutally bludgeoned to death with an aluminum baseball bat by two laughing teenage boys who then posted a video of their act on social media.  The two were not prosecuted, and now the Animal Protection League of NJ (APLNJ) urges us to contact the state Attorney General to demand they be brought to justice.

One dead raccoon, even though violently killed by two teens -- is that reason to get all upset and “protesty”?  Yes, emphatically yes.

Unfortunate but true, one unpunished act of violence might encourage more of the same. Those two kids think they got away with their cruel killing and even publicized it, so what will they do next?  It’s a scary thought. 

  

They did a cowardly and shameful thing to that innocent, terrified raccoon, and they must face justice for their act.  Otherwise, they may kill again.  But regardless of whether they repeat their crime, they did wrong.

I’m deliberately not using the familiar argument here that those who torture and kill animals may move on to do the same to humans so therefore they must be stopped.  No.  They must be stopped because they did this heinous thing to a helpless animal. That alone is bad enough. Period.

No sentient being, animal or human animal, deserves to be killed for sport or laughs or simply because s/he is available and “killable.” Those two boys did wrong, and they should be prosecuted. Then, ideally, they should be counseled away from such murderous tendencies.

Here are excerpts from the APLNJ message urging proper action on behalf of the defenseless raccoon and against the two teens who brutally killed the animal.  (italics added)

Since December, outraged local residents and organizations have demanded that the Ocean County prosecutor charge the perpetrators. [But] Prosecutor Billhimer dumped the case onto the lap of the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW). It was up to the Division, which promotes trapping and teaches kids to kill animals this way, to determine a course of action. Conveniently, DFW does not pursue criminal violations, only civil remedies. It has commented that the method of kill was "legal" . . . .  

DFW promotes the violent clubbing to death in trapping training courses; it will not encourage prosecution of animal cruelty crimes.

Did the county prosecutor relinquish his authority to prosecute simply because the victim was wild?  The New Jersey Supreme Court has held that the enforcement of Fish and Wildlife regulations do not preclude the prosecutor from pursuing criminal charges. . . .  Animal cruelty statutes apply to juvenile offenders.

We're asking Attorney General Gubir Grewal to ensure that his Ocean County prosecutor steps up to honor his lawful responsibility. . . . This barbarity cannot go unaddressed or minimized.  Please join us seeking a just State response.

Please do this now:  Email (citizens.services@NJOAG.gov ) or call the Attorney General's office (609-984-5828) and ask that these two killers be prosecuted.  You can also contact the AG by filling out this form.

P.S. the next day: After learning about the raccoon cruelly killed by the two boys, I was so steamed and eager to encourage contacts to the NJ Attorney General, I didn't include these facts: "the Lacey raccoon" was brutally killed in Lacey Twp., Ocean County, NJ.  The prosecutor there, Bradley D. Billhimer, should be directed to carry out his mandated duties and file animal cruelty charges against the two teens who committed that heinous act of violence against an innocent animal.        

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