As readers have seen before (my post of 7/17) I have been working on the case of Phineas, the dog in Salem, Missouri accused and sentenced to death for "biting" a child. As I said in my report then, the bite was NOT consistent with Phineas...and I excluded him from the case.
Last Thursday I went to Salem, Missouri and testified as to my findings. Despite the continuous objections of the City of Salem Attorney, the judge listened to my testimony excluding Phineas from having caused that injury.
Today the court order came out, and Judge Bernstein has exonerated Phineas!
A section of the court order issued reads:
"Accordingly the court finds that (1) Phineas had never bitten before
and (2) Phineas is excluded as the cause of the injury to [the alleged
victim] on the date in question...This court hereby, in accordance with
the above, enters judgment in favor of
Petitioners, orders that Phineas be returned to Petitioners, and
permanently enjoins the City from euthanizing Phineas."
Judge Scott Bernstein 10-25-13
So now we wait patiently to see if Phineas, who disappeared from the Veterinarian's office where he had been kept pending this hearing, is returned safely. Although I do not support the removal of Phineas, and I still believe that the system of justice tends to work, I understand the motivation of any person who thought they were "helping"- BUT- it is time for Phineas to go home.
Kudos to Attorney Joe Simon and thanks for bringing me in to assist. I have enjoyed being able to do something constructive to aid in the exoneration of this dog wrongly accused.
