A Petition of Concerned Citizens of Southeastern Minnesota to be Presented to Olmsted County Attorney Mark Ostrem and Winona County Attorney Karin Sonneman Concerning the Criminal Animal Torture and Cruelty Case against Jarek Keith Moen

 

 

We the undersigned wish to express our highest interest and concern involving the criminal proceedings against Jarek Keith Moen. 

 

We understand felony charges were filed against Jarek Moen in Olmsted County on March 9, 2012 for torture and cruelty to an animal resulting in death, case number 55-CR-12-1569.  The charges stem from an incident on February 2, 2012 stating Moen kicked and beat to death his girlfriend’s dog. 

 

According to an article in the March 13 edition of the Rochester Post Bulletin, a necropsy at the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory showed that the dog sustained rib fractures, lacerations to the liver and lungs and internal bleeding.  Court records also show Moen falsely claimed to medical personnel that he was the subject of an unprovoked dog attack, but he later acknowledged to police authorities that was not true.

 

This case had an initial court hearing on April 19.  Venue has been transferred to Winona County due to conflict of interest issues, apparently because Moen’s girlfriend is a Rochester police officer.  An omnibus hearing is currently set for June 8.

 

We believe this case represents one of the worst incidents of malicious animal abuse in recent Olmsted County history.  Sadly, our judicial system has not always treated such crimes with the same level of seriousness and severity accorded to crimes again human beings.  Thus, we are anxious to see that this case be treated as the horrific crime it truly is, and that the maximum penalty be imposed.  We believe it would be an utter travesty if Moen were allowed to plea bargain to some lesser offense and receive no jail time but merely get a slap on the wrist and pay a fine.  For such an unconscionable cruelty, time in jail is the only meaningful and appropriate penalty.

 

As elected officials of the public in Olmsted and Winona Counties, we urge you to ensure that real justice is done in this matter.

 

We will be closely following the results of this terrible, terrible case of animal torture and cruelty.