Calif. ACO in Hot Water for Drowning Kittens
April 7, 2008
ADELANTA, Calif. -- Animal Control Supervisor Kevin Murphy faces six cruelty to animals charges following the alleged drowning of 50 kittens last year.
The counts are specifically for killing, maiming and abusing the animals, for which he up to faces six years in prison if found guilty.
Murphy, 36, has been placed on paid administrative leave while the city investigates these allegations, according to Adelanto City Manager Jim Hart. Another employee that has not been named was also placed on paid leave, but is not listed in the charges.
Murphy, though, is accused of committing the atrocities from July to October 2007. Adelonto city officials remain tight-lipped about the case and haven’t released details of the accusations.
“The charges allege that he killed in the neighborhood of 50 kittens while working as head of animal control in Adelanto,” said James Hill, supervising deputy district attorney for San Bernadino County.
Each charge carries a maximum of one year in prison and/or a $20,000 fine. According to The Los Angeles Times, Murphy has not been arrested for the alleged offenses, but has been sent a letter concerning the date he is to present himself in court.
In a prepared statement, Hart stated that unless proven guilty, Murphy should be considered innocent.
“It is important to reiterate that the city does not condone violence against animals in any shape or form,” he said. “If it is determined that there is truth to the accusations, we will deal with it strictly and decisively.”
In 2004, Murphy was awarded the San Bernadino County Sherriff’s Medal for Lifesaving after he saved a woman from a burning building.
Kathy Williams, manager of the Victor Valley Animal Protective League, was Murphy’s colleague.
“I was really surprised when I heard that someone supposedly trying to do the right thing by rescuing animals is then charged with killing them. It doesn’t make any sense,” she told The Los Angeles Times.
Murphy will be arraigned on May 19.
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Matt Van Hoven, Pet Pulse; David Kelly, The Los Angeles Times and Ryan Orr, Victorville Daily Press, contributed to this story.
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"Adelanto’s head animal control officer has resigned as he faces charges in the drowning of nearly 50 kittens, the Associated Press reported today.
Kevin Murphy, 36, was placed on paid leave in March after prosecutors accused him of drowning the kittens over a four-month period. He faces six counts of animal cruelty.
City Manager Jim Hart on Tuesday said Murphy’s resignation was effective May 1. Murphy couldn’t be reached for comment.
Adelanto is about 70 miles northeast of Los Angeles."
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him off clean cause you have to be some sick person to
kill baby animals like that =[
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The city's mayor and council members did not return calls seeking information about the circumstances of the killings.
However, a written statement was issued shortly before noon in the name of the city manager, confirming that criminal charges had been issued and pledging to act "strictly and decisively" if it is determined the accusations are true.
"The city has taken immediate steps to review proper procedure with current staff and will undertake retraining if it is determined to be needed," the statement said. "It is important to reiterate that the city does not condone violence against animals."
The city's written statement made no mention of Murphy's management position. But the city's Web site identifies him as the supervisor.
The department has three to five employees, including Murphy, estimated Kathy Williamson, manager of the Victor Valley Animal Protective League, which operates an animal shelter in nearby Apple Valley.
"They're supposed to pick up (animals) off the street and bring them to me," Williamson said of the operating agreement between Adelanto and her shelter. "Their numbers have been decreasing over the last five years, while everybody else's has been increasing. But they're saying that they have a good plan in place for knocking on doors and making sure that people have fenced yards and their animals are licensed."
California law generally requires animal control officers to impound strays so that they can be reclaimed by their owners or be adopted by new owners. The law makes an exception for animals less than six weeks of age, Williamson said.
"If you find a cat that's three weeks, you're not supposed to have to bottle feed it," she said. "But they're supposed to be euthanized in a humane way."
She said she doesn't know whether anyone did anything wrong, much less what would have motivated it.
The city must pay $23 for each cat and $37 for each dog that it brings to the shelter and $10 for each dead animal. There are far more strays than owners who reclaim them or people who adopt them.
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Give his money to respectable people at a shelter and let them take the correct steps into saving animals lives.
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This Control Supervisor Murphy was use place of employee for cruel crimes,for killings pets.
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