Lawmaker worries 'Joker's Law' could carry harsher penalty for hurting K9 than cops - WTVC
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — UPDATE:
The K9 Joker's law proposal, which revises the offense of knowingly and unlawfully killing a law enforcement animal, made it through the Criminal Justice Committee at the Tennessee State Capitol Wednesday.
This is one of the first steps in making the law a reality.
Representative Bud Hulsey of Kingsport did raise concerns with the bill however.
He noted that depending on circumstances, if someone was to injure both a police dog and a police officer, they could face a harsher penalty for injuring the dog.
“I have several problems with that,” Rep. Hulsey said. “I just wish we would keep it in the lanes that it’s always been."
The example Rep. Hulsey presented was that if someone injures a police dog, it's a class b felony.
If someone was to also injure the officer (again, depending on the circumstance), it could be a class c felony.
This would ultimately mean the penalty for hurting the dog is worse.
EARLIER:
The K9 Joker's law proposal, which revises the offense of knowingly and unlawfully killing a law enforcement animal, was brought forward at the Tennessee State Capitol Wednesday.
Under present law, it is an offense to knowingly and unlawfully kill the animal of another without the owner's effective consent.
A violation is theft of property, graded according to the value of the animal, and punished accordingly.
The killing of a police dog, fire dog, search and rescue dog, service animal or police horse is treated as an enhancement that upon a violation promotes this offense to at least a Class E felony.
Joker's law separates the enhancement from the above offense and creates the separate offense of knowingly and unlawfully killing a police dog, fire dog, search and rescue dog, service animal, or police horse without the owner’s effective consent.
This will also include all law enforcement partners like horses and livestock.
WATCH:
On Saturday, a petition to put the law into place by the Joker's Law Petition Project group members from Cleveland State Community College was given to Representative Hall at the BCSO for him to take with him to Nashville Wednesday.
The petitions have surpassed 15,000 signatures.
One member of the group is Garrett Choate, son of Deputy Eduardo Choate, Joker's handler.
"It's just been overwhelming," Choate said, "The amount of support we've gotten not just from Cleveland State and its students, but from the community."
Hall is confident the law will be passed later this year.
"With the new legislation on the surface, this will move this up to a Class B felony," Hall said.
Depend on us to keep you informed with updates on Joker's law.
source: https://newschannel9.com/news/local/committee-brings-k9-jokers-law-proposal-to-tennessee-state-capitol-wednesday-chattanooga-nashville-bradley-county
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