See also this thread on the instant case in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, where the State's Attorney General is reviewing a similar case where a federal police officer and Army Reservist shot a dog in a dog park:http://www.vnnforum.com/showthread.php?p=1167093#post1167093

Good photos in the original articles and posting these links elsewhere ought to help expose hypocrisy in the so called justice community:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/04/former-la-county-assistant-fire-chief-glynn-johnson-sentenced-in-dog-beating.html

Former L.A. County assistant fire chief sentenced in dog beating

April 2, 2010 | 12:15 pm

A former Los Angeles County assistant fire chief was sentenced Friday to 90 days in jail and three years' probation after being convicted of beating a puppy so severely outside his Riverside home last year that it had to be euthanized.

Glynn Johnson, 55, will serve his jail time on weekends. He is also required to take anger-management courses and perform 400 hours of community service working with dogs.
Johnson was found guilty in Riverside County Superior Court of animal cruelty and using a deadly weapon, a 12-pound rock, to beat Karley, a mixed-breed German shepherd.
The case has drawn wide attention, especially from animal-rights groups. For weeks leading up to Johnson's arrest, protesters rallied in front of the district attorney's office asking that he be prosecuted.
Johnson was accused of beating the dog after a long feud with his neighbors over various issues in 2008. Prosecutors said Johnson put dog feces in his neighbors' mailbox with a letter warning them to keep their dogs off his property.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/Felony-Animal-Cruelty-Charge-Glynn-Demon-Johnson.html
Ex-Fire Official Who Beat Dog Ordered to Stand Trial

By PAUL YOUNG

Updated 2:58 PM PDT, Thu, Jan 7, 2010

A now-retired Los Angeles County assistant fire chief accused of pummeling a neighbor's dog, which later had to be euthanized, was ordered Friday to stand trial on felony animal cruelty charges.

"There's lots of conflicting evidence here, still questions that need to be answered," said Riverside County Superior Court Judge Craig Riemer. "But the court does find there is sufficient cause to believe the acts alleged could have been committed."

Glynn Demon Johnson, 54, faces charges of felony animal cruelty and using a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony in connection with the beating of Karley, a 6-month-old German shepherd mix, last Nov. 3.

The defendant is scheduled to return to court May 15 for arraignment. He remains free on $10,000 bail.

Nov. 7, 2008: Dog Euthanized After Beating

The prosecution has suggested Johnson was at odds with his neighbors over their dogs barking and running loose on his property. The defendant, however, has characterized relations with his neighbors as good.

He testified he was trying to walk the dog home after she had gotten loose, and was attacked by the canine, forcing him to strike her several times to pry loose a vice grip on his thumb.

Deputy District Attorney Will Robinson spent nearly an hour Friday questioning Johnson about what the former firefighter told a sheriff's deputy the day of his encounter with Karley, and what the witness now says happened.

Johnson testified this week that he was at home, in the 17000 block of Armintrout Drive in Woodcrest, a community south of Riverside, and saw Karley run through his yard to the residence of his neighbor, Travis Staggs.

Johnson said Staggs caught Karley and was about to take the 45-pound animal home when the defendant offered to do it himself to spare Staggs the trip.

The former firefighter, who was still on active duty at that time, said he got halfway across his yard, leading the dog by the collar with his left hand, when the animal abruptly whipped around and, for no apparent reason, bit his left forearm.

Johnson testified that he dropped to his knees, and the animal clamped down on his right thumb. He said he struck the dog with his fist two or three times, and when the animal didn't let go, he grabbed a rock with his free hand and struck her several more times.

"I tried to defend myself," the witness said.
Robinson compared Johnson's testimony to what the defendant originally told a sheriff's deputy hours after the incident, while he was at a hospital having his cut and fractured right thumb mended.
The prosecutor reminded Johnson that he first told investigators the dog bit his right thumb before anything else.

"Isn't it true you told the police a different version of events than what you've testified to?" Robinson asked.

"Yes," the witness acknowledged.

"Then which version of events is true? Which one are you lying about?" Robinson persisted.

Defense attorney John Sweeney rose to his feet.

"To insinuate my client is a liar just to show off in court is very unprofessional," Sweeney protested.
Riemer agreed, telling Robinson, "Don't go there."
"Pretend there is no audience behind you, and I'm the only one here, Mr. Robinson," the judge cautioned.

Staggs told sheriff's investigators he witnessed Johnson striking the dog with his fist, possibly a dozen times. The witness said he did not see Karley bite the defendant prior to Johnson's flurry of strikes.

According to Staggs, Johnson grabbed a rock and hit the dog on the head 10 to 12 times, then tried to pry its jaws open. The witness said he ran over and tried to stop Johnson, but was pushed away.
Robinson asked Johnson on Friday whether the defendant recalled hearing Staggs yelling, "Stop, Glynn, stop!"

Johnson said he had a vague recollection of his neighbor yelling, but added, "I don't think Travis saw clearly what happened."

Robinson wondered why, if the defendant was the one being attacked, he told investigators that Karley was "fighting for her life."

"I think you're taking it out of context," Johnson replied. "I meant the dog was fighting violently and viciously, and I was fighting for my life, too."

The witness said that when the dog went limp, "playing dead," he felt safe enough to stop striking her.

The canine's owners, Jeff and Shelly Toole, found the animal hiding on their property a short time later and took her to a veterinarian, who recommended that she be euthanized, to which the Tooles consented.

The prosecution asked Johnson about accusations he had shot pellets at dogs that wandered onto his property and used a bull horn to complain about barking dogs in his neighborhood -- all of which Johnson denied.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local-beat/LA-County-Assistant-Fire-Chief-Says-He-Killed-Neighbors-Dog-in-Self-Defense.html

LA County Asst. Fire Chief Says He Killed Neighbor's Dog in Self-Defense

Updated 1:25 PM PDT, Mon, Jan 26, 2009

LOS ANGELES -- A veteran Los Angeles County assistant fire chief was on paid administrative leave Friday while the Riverside County Sheriff's Department investigates his self-defense claim in the beating of a neighbor's puppy that had to be euthanized.
"The Los Angeles County Fire Department is deeply concerned with allegations regarding Assistant Fire Chief Glynn Johnson's actions in the beating of his neighbor's dog," said county fire Chief P. Michael Freeman in a statement.

Deputies were sent around 4:30 p.m. Monday to the 17000 block of Armintrout Drive, in the unincorporated community of Woodcrest, just south of Riverside.

They responded to two calls at the location -- one from a woman saying her husband had just been attacked by a canine, and another from a man stating his neighbor had "beaten someone's dog with a boulder," said sheriff's Sgt. David Barton.
Nov. 7, 2008: Dog Euthanized After Beating

Nov. 7, 2008: Dog Euthanized After Beating
An investigation revealed that a 6-month-old puppy had wandered away from its owner's property and into a neighbor's yard. Barton said the neighbor was taking the dog back to its owner's property when he was approached by the suspect, who offered to take the dog back himself.
After handing the dog over, the witness told deputies he saw the suspect "beating the dog with his hands," Barton said in a statement. "At one point, the witness claimed he saw him use a nearby rock to strike the dog."

The dog's owner, Shelly Toole, told KTLA-TV her pet, Karley, was so badly injured that it had to be put down. Toole alleged that Johnson, who lives next door, beat the dog in a violent rage.

Sheriff's Sgt. Dennis Gutierrez said that in talking with residents on the street, investigators got the sense that Toole and Johnson had previously been at odds.

Johnson, who sought treatment for an injured wrist and thumb at a Riverside-area hospital," claimed he had been attacked by the dog and only struck it in self-defense," Barton said.

Los AngelesCounty's fire chief said in his statement: "Prior to the news reports, Chief Johnson had advised ["lied to"] his superiors of the incident and explained his actions as self-defense.
"
"Given the nature of the allegations and the ongoing Riverside County sheriff's investigation, Chief Johnson has been placed on administrative leave with pay," Freeman said. "Once more facts are available, the department will take appropriate action as warranted."

According to KTLA-TV, a witness, Travis Staggs, said he was walking the dog back to its owner, past Johnson's house, when Johnson stepped in and said he would take the puppy home.

Staggs told KTLA-TV that he handed over the animal and Johnson started beating the dog, which had not attacked the suspect.

According to Staggs, Johnson hit the dog repeatedly with a closed fist, put his hands in the puppy's mouth and tried to break its jaws, and eventually beat the dog over the head repeatedly with a large rock from the front yard.

"A thorough investigation is being done in order to determine if a crime has been committed," Barton said.

He noted that California Penal Code Section 597 makes it a felony for anyone to maliciously and intentionally maim, torture or wound a living animal.

Pending the outcome of the sheriff's investigation, the case may be referred to the Riverside County District Attorney's Office for further review, Barton said.