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Dogfighting trial judge: No more talking |
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Wednesday, 20 August 2008 |
Gag order issued in trial over fighting ring
Saline County Circuit Judge Gary Arnold has placed a gag order on attorneys involved in the jury trial of a Mabelvale man accused of running a dogfighting ring in the East End area.
Testimony began Tuesday in the trial of Patrick Janiszewski, 26, who faces 27 felony counts of dogfighting and 27 misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals.
Janiszewski was arrested at his job in Little Rock on Jan. 11 in connection with a dogfighting ring raid in northeast Saline County on Jan. 3.
Testimony continued today in the trial, which Prosecuting Attorney Ken Casady said could last until Thursday.
Dogfighting is illegal in all North American countries and is a felony in 48 states, including Arkansas, according to the Humane Society of the United States. According to Arkansas law, it is also a misdemeanor to be a spectator at a dogfighting event.
On Jan. 3, Saline County sheriff’s deputies raided residences at 15001 Gingerbread Lane and 23001 U.S. 167, both in the East End community, and seized 36 dogs that alleged to be involved in dogfighting.
The raid occurred after a six-month investigation by the sheriff’s office, the Humane Society of Pulaski County and the Humane Society of the United States.
Jay Sabatucci, regional coordinator for the Humane Society of the United States, helped local authorities determine whether the residences were being used to train and fight dogs. He told officers that he believed there was enough evidence to support the theory that there are illegal dogfighting rings in Saline County.
Sabatucci also said the dogs “were horribly scarred,” a sign he said is “indicative of dogfighting.”
Janiszewski was arrested eight days later at his job in Little Rock. Authorities later arrested Kenny J. Mahomes, 43, of 23001 U.S. 167 and Chris A. Carter, 32, of 15001 Gingerbread Lane.
Mahomes is scheduled to appear before Judge Arnold on Oct. 7 and Carter will appear before Circuit Judge Grisham Phillips on Sept. 30.
Sabatucci said on Jan. 4 that there was evidence on not only a dogfighting ring, but also a training facility for the dogs.
“If you go out to those locations, you’ll find treadmills and slapmills,” Sabatucci said.
“There will be what we call spring poles, which are hides tied to a tree or ropes that animals will grab with their mouths and spring up and down with ... one of the facilities actually had a [dogfighting] pit with carpet with what appeared to be blood on it and it was a collapsable pit. They had beak sticks/parking sticks with what appeared to be blood on them, which is what they use to open the animals jaws during the fight when they get hung up.”
Sheriff Phil Mask said he also saw evidence that the dogs were used in illegal fighting and that he wanted to end any of the activity locally.
“Some of those dogs were sickly,” Mask said. “They were in need of medical treatment, their faces had dog bites and [one dog] had a eye taken out ... we were able to get them treatment and get them back to their health. Hopefully we’ll put a dent in our community dogfighting. We do take this seriously and we are going to continue to follow up.”
Sheriff’s Lt. Mike Frost said the task of shutting down all dogfighting rings and training facilities can be “very hard.” He said that by the time authorities find out about dogfighting rings, there isn’t sufficient time to assemble the manpower to raid a facility.
“People involved in the activity will disburse before officers get close to the area,” he said. “It is a very closed society and it is hard to be able to know when and where the dogfighting is occurring. Many times, we don’t know until the day of the dogfight and there is not enough time to get a search warrant. We are also talking about a large amount of money, guns and drugs probably being involved in it. That can put officers at risk, so they also have to take extra precaution when entering a suspected facility.” |
 |  |  |  |  | Just being with family and eating good food is the best part!!- Liz McGee Quantz (Haskell, AR)
The Mabelvale United Methodist Church in Mabelvale, AR will
be hosting a fall carnival on Sunday evening October 26th from 5 to 7pm in the
Fellowship Hall. Kids will love it, parents will too! - Roger Poole (Bryant, AR)
I make an awesome Pina Colda Cake. You buy a boxed yellow
cake mix and mix it and bake it per the instructions on the box. After you bake the
cake allow it to cool for about 15 minutes. Use the end of a wooden spoon to poke
medium size holes all in the cake. Take a can of Eagle Brand Milk and Cream of
Coconut and alternate pouring them into the holes. Place the cake in the fridge for
about one hour, remove and put Cool Whip on top, as much or as little as you like.
The cake is better if you let it sit all night in the fridge before eatting. It is
wonderful!!! - Kelly Chase (Alexander, AK)
My favorite memories of Thanksgiving were when we lived in
Tulsa, Ok. There were always folks that didn't have a place to go for the holiday-
so they wound up at our house along with most of my husband's family from Benton.
The house was packed. The Thanksgiving meal was wonderful. But the celebration
didn't end there. At night, all weekend, there were pallets spread throughout the
house and the good eats seemed to never end. And on Friday morning (after
Thanksgiving) all the females were up before dawn and Christmas shopping by 8:00
a.m. Those are memories that I will cherish forever. - Billie Loe (Texas)
I always get to make the turkey for our Thanksgiving. So
you can add more butter or flour for consistency. Wash your turkey, pat dry, take
another stick of butter and rub all over turkey. Then take with your hands and smear
the batter a little thick, all over the turkey. Once all of the turkey has the
batter on it, I will melt the another bar of butter and put it in the bottom of the
pan of my turkey. It will make a wonderful gravy to use on your turkey when done.
So, then get enough aluminum foil to make a "tent" over your turkey. Put in oven and
bake @ 375 all night. It will be so moist, the crispies are great and the gravy
makes it better. Now the flip side to this is, it will be so tender it will fall apart.
So, I do not serve as a whole turkey. I go ahead and slice up, pour some grave
over some of the sliced up turkey for those who like it and then slice up some
turkey without gravy. You will have many compliments on this. Happy Thanksgiving
and Enjoy! - Liz Johnson (Benton) We prepare a traditional Thanksgiving dinner that morning.
Then we pack it all up and travel to deer camp in South Arkansas. We serve dinner to
all those who don't have family with which to share. We'll spend the afternoon
playin' dominos, pitchin' horseshoes and just visitin'. It's a wonderful time. - Pat Stuckey (Bismarck) We invite all the family in and cook the traditional feast.
Everyone gets silly when they get full. That is entertaining. - Jim Perry (Benton) Frozen pizza - Greg Marsh (Medicine Hat) The whole family gets together and we have dinner and noon
visit for a while then go home to take naps and get ready for black friday sales! - Terrie Schulz (Benton)
My childhood memories are of the sumptuous dinners my
grandfather, Byron Yarbrough, Sr. would prepare. Family members came from all over
Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas to our home of South East Street. It was a wondeful
time I really didn't learn to appreciate until he and my grandmother passed away.
Later, my cousin Eleen Murray brought the tradition back and family members gathered
at their home near Lake Norrell. Today, it's the memories of
Thanksgivings past that I treasure. It was because of these gatherings that I came
to realize the importance of family. - David Hughes (Herndon, VA)
My favorite time of remembering Thanksgiving is when all of
my family would get together and enjoy the most wonderful feast I have ever tasted.
My mom would make at least 2 to 3 different stuffings, actually her and my sister
Tammy Parker(Schultz) would make everything. I am not quite the chef my mom and
sister are. I live now and have lived for most of my life away from home in
different states so I have tasted many other dishes. None can compare to my
mom's(Pat Brumley). But most of all it is the family being altogether and just
laughing and having fun. My husband experienced this tradition for the first time in
1999 and still to this day can not stop talking about it. His traditions were not
the same. He couldn't believe the amount of food, fun, and family we had for the
holidays. I didn't understand it because I am used to it always being that way. I am
very lucky to have the family I have. My ex-step dad (David Hughes) still treats me
and my sister like his own so I have extended family to share the holidays with too. Even if it
is just a phone call, prayer, or written. I sure so miss Benton. I was raised
there and even though I am in Hoosier state since 2001 I let everybody know I am
proud to be a Razorback. I will never be anything else. God bless everyone in
Benton and someday I hope to see you soon. - Debbie Brooks (Schultz) (Columbus, IN) |
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Razorbacks
