- Texas, USA -
~ June 7, 2022
The Bowie County Sheriff's Office kindly sent me pictures of TAYLOR's furbaby.
~ Original story:
On Monday, June 6, 27-years-old JAMES LYNN TAYLOR (pictured) appeared in Bowie County District Court before 202nd District Judge John Tidwell for sentencing.
TAYLOR entered a guilty plea to felony animal cruelty in a case that began in 2021.
TAYLOR’s Assistant Public Defender Clayton Haas was also present.
TAYLOR is accused of using fire and rubbing alcohol on his female dog and on the one she was fighting with to stop the fight.
Judge Tidwell sentenced TAYLOR to one year in jail which he must serve “day for day” because as reported by Texarkana Gazette, Judge Tidwell “doesn't believe probation is appropriate in a felony case involving the mistreatment of animals.”
Judge Tidwell told TAYLOR: “I want you punished and I want you punished where you can think about your actions.”
Judge Tidwell further said: “For one year you're going to sit in jail” and explained: “One, I want you to reflect on it, and two, I want people to know that if you harm an animal in this community, you're going to serve time, not probation.”
It all started on September 16, 2021, when the Bowie County Sheriff's Office was called in reference to a shoplifting report at Spring Market in Redwater.
TAYLOR and his young brother were at the store and video surveillance showed one of them stuffing several Cayman Jack alcoholic drinks into his pants.
According to the incident report obtained by Voice For Us, while deputies were speaking to TAYLOR about the incident, a gray female Pitbull walked up and TAYLOR told them she was his dog.
The affidavit stated the furbaby had an open injury to her right side near her back hips and the belly area also looked injured. One of the deputies asked TAYLOR what happened to the dog and he said that she was fighting with other dogs, so he “poured alcohol on them and set them on fire to get them apart.”
According to the affidavit, the deputy once again asked TAYLOR what happened and TAYLOR said his dog “was bit down on other dog and he could not get them to separate so he poured rubbing alcohol around the dogs and set it on fire to get them to separate.”
The deputy asked TAYLOR when this happened and he said two days ago.
The deputy also asked TAYLOR whether he took the dog to the vet but he said he was going to treat her with hydrogen peroxide later that day.
According to the deputies, the injuries appeared to be at least a day old with scabs starting to appear over the wound on the other side and to her breasts.
Redwater City Animal Control responded to the scene and took the VOICELESS VICTIM to the vet for evaluation.
Deputies asked TAYLOR what the dog’s name was and he said she did not have one even though he had for over a year.
Online records show TAYLOR was arrested for one count of cruelty to non-livestock animal, a 3rd degree Felony, and booked into the Bowie County Jail on a $35,000 bond.
I have emailed Bowie County Sheriff Jeff Neal and District Attorney Jerry Rochelle and inquired about the wellbeing of all the dogs involved in this case.
Sheriff Neal tells me that all the information is aware of is in the incident report.
I have asked him to email me pictures of the dogs and if he sends them to me, I will add them to the article.
Hopefully, DA Rochelle will respond too, but, in the meantime, I will also email Animal Control.
Voice For Us Disclaimer: This story is sourced from official news outlets. Links included.
Details may be removed or additional information may be provided in future should such sources report an update.
Additional Sources:
