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Congratulations, Mr. Howard and Ms. Janssen!
Atlanta
District Attorney Paul Howard Receives 2007 Humane Law Enforcement
Award. Howard Recognized for Prosecution of Gruesome Atlanta Puppy
Torture Case
(Oct. 12, 2007) — Fulton County District
Attorney Paul Howard and Senior Assistant District Attorney Laura
Janssen will be honored by The Humane Society of the United States
(HSUS) and the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) during a
national awards ceremony in Alexandria, Va. on Saturday, Oct. 13th.
The
Atlanta prosecutors are receiving the 2007 Humane Law Enforcement Award
for their commitment to prosecuting one of the most egregious,
high-profile cases of animal cruelty in Georgia history, and for their
uncompromising work on enforcing animal protection laws.
The
ceremony, which is co-sponsored by The HSUS and the NDAA, will be held
from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center in
Alexandria, Va. It will feature remarks from The HSUS' President and
CEO Wayne Pacelle and the NDAA's Executive Director Thomas Charron.
"We
are pleased to recognize law enforcement officials' tremendous efforts
to end the scourge of animal fighting and cruelty," said Pacelle. "They
are truly on the front lines of this battle and it is our privilege to
honor them with this award."
The Fulton County District
Attorney's Office, led by Howard, pursued a second trial and obtained a
conviction against two teenagers who tortured to death a 3-month-old
puppy. The jury deadlocked in the first trial. Senior ADA Janssen,
who was appointed by Howard as the office's animal cruelty prosecutor
in 2000, showed her creativity as a prosecutor by gaining permission to
bring a live puppy into the courtroom to demonstrate—humanely—the
torture the puppy endured.
The teenaged brothers were sentenced
on nine felony counts, including felony animal cruelty. In February,
the youths were each sentenced to 10 years in prison for the
convictions.
Upon receiving the case, Howard also lobbied
Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, urging that the state's animal cruelty law
be strengthened. "We applaud Howard and Janssen for taking a stand
against those who abuse animals," said Ann Chynoweth, director of the
Animal Fighting and Animal Cruelty Campaign for The HSUS.
Other award recipients are:
* The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office, led by District
Attorney Steve Cooley, for creating an animal cruelty case coordinator
in his office to better train prosecutors and law enforcement officers
throughout the county.
* The Chicago Police Department for creating an animal crimes unit and spearheading a groundbreaking animal cruelty study.
* Mecklenburg County (Va.) law enforcement for its successful raid of
an interstate cockfighting ring, setting a precedent for cockfighting
investigations in the state.
* Ohio law enforcement for
busting a major dog fighting ring after a 15 month investigation that
exemplified the fruits of federal and state cooperation.
The
Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal
protection organization – backed by 10 million Americans, or one of
every 30. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for
the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, and hands-on
programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty -- On the web at
humanesociety.org.
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