Urge California Attorney General to Review Court’s Decision to Overturn Dog Killer’s Conviction

BACKGROUND

A California appeals court has overturned the conviction of Alex Castro for brutally beating his ex-girlfriend’s cocker spaniel, Copper, to death with a hammer in July 2007. According to news sources, the court ruled that the trial was tainted because Castro’s lawyer did not hire an expert to evaluate whether or not Castro wrote an intimidating letter to a witness.

Please urge California Attorney General Kamala Harris to petition the California Supreme Court or the 6th District Court of Appeal to review this decision so that Copper gets the justice he deserves and to ensure that such an egregious act of violence does not go unpunished! The attorney general must make her decision quickly, so please act now.


WHOM TO CONTACT

The Honorable Kamala Harris
Office of the Attorney General
1300 I St.
Sacramento, CA 95814-2919
Phone: 916-445-9555
attorneygeneral@doj.ca.gov


SAMPLE LETTER

RE: Alex Castro

Dear Honorable Harris,

I have learned of extremely disturbing and malicious case of animal cruelty in which Mr. Alex Castro deliberately caused the suffering and subsequent death of his girlfriend’s cocker spaniel.  However, according to news sources, the court ruled that the trial was tainted because Castro’s lawyer did not hire an expert to evaluate whether or not Castro wrote an intimidating letter to a witness. I am writing today to encourage you to petition the California Supreme Court or the 6th District Court of Appeal to review this decision so that Copper gets the justice he deserves.  Mr. Castro’s crime causing unimaginable agony, fear, and death in the dog, deserves social justice, not community approval.

When I try to imagine what possible motive animal abusers entertain for subjecting their animal victims to such malicious, heinous acts of brutality, I fail, but I am thankful for a lack of cognitive understanding and rationalization. To voluntarily engage in such malicious behaviour suggests sadistic tendencies, and Mr. Castro’s actions, causing unmitigated pain and suffering, demonstrates an incontrovertible lack of morality regarding other living beings and a gross disrespect for the law. In fact, a person who shows such a remarkable lack of compassion towards non-human animals has the ability to show such indifference towards human animals. This link between animal and human abuse has been established, and if society excuses Mr. Castro’s criminal behaviour, or agrees to a lesser punishment, we only harm ourselves by unjustly nullifying cruelty as acceptable behaviour.

Please respect the victim by petitioning the California Supreme Court or the 6th District Court of Appeal to review this decision; doing so will demonstrate your commitment to justice, responsibility, and integrity, attributes unquestionably necessary in a legal setting: rejecting cruelty by maintaining an unyielding position towards it would be a model for all community members and would serve to characterize this type of behaviour as both impermissible and punishable.

I know your time is limited and I thank you for your attention to this urgent issue.

Name | Address



SEE MORE:

• Cruelty-Free
• Animal Wrongs
• Vegan Guides

to let a killer get off
on a technicality
is a cruel so called
legality
you say the trial
is tainted
look at the ugly
picture you have painted
copper needs justice
as do all
victims of abuse
and in their honor and
names
do not let alex castro
loose

Karen Lyons Kalmenson