WHAT'S NEXT

Urge State's Attorney to Seek Justice for Dog Burned Alive
  1. Signatures
    769 out of 1,000
    Petitioning
    1. State's Attorney, Baltimore City (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • State's Attorney, Baltimore City (Gregg Bernstein)
      • Communications Director, State's Attorney Office (Mark Cheshire)
  2. Created By
    Stephanie Feldstein
    Ypsilanti, MI
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Feb 11, 2011

In 2009, a pit bull was doused with gasoline and set on fire. Named Phoenix by her rescuers, she drew national attention to the issue of animal cruelty, but she couldn't survive her injuries. Two boys were caught by a surveillance camera and identified by police. In February 2011, their trial ended in a mistrial, with just person "simply not willing to listen to reason," according to a fellow juror. With the State's Attorney having the option to retry the case, more than 750 Change.org activists urged the prosecutor to do everything he could to hold Phoenix's abusers accountable. Two days later, the retrial was announced.

In 2009, a pit bull was doused with gasoline and set on fire. Incredibly, the dog, who rescuers named Phoenix, came into the veterinary clinic wagging her tail. But with burns on 98 percent of her body, her system just starting shutting down and Phoenix couldn't be saved.

Travers and Tremayne Johnson, both 17 year old at the time, were arrested for animal cruelty and charged as adults. Surveillance video from the scene of the crime showed two boys who witnesses identified as the Johnson twins. Eleven of the jurors were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the twins were responsible for this horrendous crime. But one juror held out, resulting in a mistrial.

One juror told the Baltimore Sun, "There is no other logical explanation for who might have caused this." But no matter how much they tried to convince the dissenter, that juror was "simply not willing to listen to reason."

It's now up to the State's Attorney's Office to decide whether to retry this case. Phoenix's death raised awareness across the country about the seriousness of animal abuse, and advocates want justice. Ask the State's Attorney not to give up on Phoenix and to bring this to retrial.

Photo credit: ahuynh55

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Please Retry the Case of Phoenix

Dear Mr. Bernstein,

I am writing to urge you to continue to seek justice for Phoenix, the Baltimore dog who was set on fire in 2009.

Like animal lovers across the country, I was disappointed to learn that the trial of Travers and Tremayne Johnson ended in a mistrial. Between the witness testimony and surveillance camera video, eleven of the jurors were convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the twins were responsible for this horrendous crime. One juror told the Baltimore Sun, "There is no other logical explanation for who might have caused this." But no matter how much they tried to convince the dissenter, that juror was "simply not willing to listen to reason."

What happened to Phoenix is unconscionable. She was intentionally doused with gasoline and set on fire. With burns on 98 percent of her body, she suffered immensely.

But as you know, Phoenix's story is also an inspiration. Despite her injuries, she still wagged her tail at her rescuers. And even though they couldn't save her, she helped change the conversation around the seriousness of animal abuse, both in Baltimore and around the country. I applaud the State's Attorney's Office for taking animal cruelty seriously and I urge you not to give up on seeking justice for Phoenix.

Please retry this case.

Thank you.

[Your name]

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