Petition to Richard R. Read

District Attorney, Rockdale Judicial Circuit, Rockdale County, GA

(the function of the District Attorney’s Office is to represent the State and Rockdale County in the prosecution of criminal cases)

Dear Mr. Read,

This Petition is being signed by animal advocates around the world. We are following up on an incident in your jurisdiction in Conyers, GA.  This was the case of Corporal Jerahmy Williams, who left his K9 partner in the car for well over 7 hrs. while he worked out at the gym and took a nap at his house. Needless to say, Zane died in the car since the temperature was well over 109F.

The previous Petition regarding the incident, signed by animal advocates from all over the world, is inserted for your information at the end of this letter; and I might add, the Petition was only up for several days because I wanted to send it in a very timely manner so many signatures were not included.

We, the animal advocates from around the world, understand that government agencies have to do their investigations before drawing conclusions.  However, what we fail to understand is why a lengthy investigation would need to be done.  A life is a life.  A life taken is against the law; be it a human or an animal.  In this case, Zane, a K9 officer of Conyers, was neglected and he lost his life roasting in a hot car.  Details of his suffering are included in this inserted Petition.

Our request is quite simple – we would ask for charges to be pressed on Mr. Williams for the death of his police K9 partner due to negligence. 

We are aware of many incidents like this all over the country and we would like to see a change in the system of police accountability when officers leave their K9 partners in cars to suffer and die.  We feel that a positive outcome, bringing partner accountability, will set a precedence for police policies all over the country.  Rockdale County can be the voice for all K9’s!

The inserted original Petition and letter (receivers at bottom of letter) says it all.  Please give us the opportunity to be heard by reading these papers for your complete understanding of our request.

We thank you for your attention.  We will be awaiting a fair and just outcome for Zane.

(insert of original Petition and submitted letter)

Petition: Justice for Zane – left in hot car for 7 hours.

Zane was left in a car in over 100 degree temperatures by his police handler, Corporal Jerahmy Williams. The handler left work, had Zane kenneled in the back of his car, went to the gym to workout (which tells me he had already left Zane in the hot car while he worked out). While working out, he got sick and drove to his house to take a nap and forgot that Zane was in the car. Now if he had already left Zane in the car for his workout, by now, Zane had been left even before he went home sick. So how can his going home sick be his excuse. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/georgia-k9-dies-left-hot-patrol-car-article-1.2296114?utm_content=buffer22cfe&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_

What happens when a dog is left in a hot car – Panting and drooling starts, blood vessels dilate. Blood pressure is affected. The heart works harder to supply blood to the vessels; blood starts to pool in organs; blood pressure starts to drop. Organs start to become damaged. Kidney cells start to suffer damage; small blood clots form, causing more kidney damage; the cells lining the intestines and stomach suffer thermal damage, seizures, coma and death. Studies show that even on a cool day (and this was not a cool day) a 70F car inside would be 40 degrees higher than outside = 110F. This was a very hot Georgia day with temps probably in the high 80’s or 90’s. Zane was in that car for 7 full hours while his handler slept comfortably on his couch. Sick or not – Zane suffered horribly – melting and seizuring for 7 full hours, of which we know he didn’t make it that long; however, what he went through is truly horrendous. No person or animal should have to go through this horrendous death.

We realize that the officer said he forgot because he was sick but that is no excuse to put an animal through this type of horrible death.

It seems like officers can do these types of things and get away with them by saying – “I feel terrible and I’m so sorry – I was sick and just forgot.” But, that is no excuse. And officers should have to pay just like citizens have to pay. If this were a civilian, they would probably be in jail for such an act. Why are officers treated differently?

We would like to see this officer lose his job and his paycheck and jail time for this animal cruelty. Not a slap on the wrist with understanding and a possible suspension WITH PAY for this crime.” This is a crime – just like any other crime. We understand he is sorry and upset but a crime is a crime – a death is a death. K9 officers cannot afford to make mistakes.

It is a CRIME to lock an animal in a hot car and leave them whether you are a civilian or a policeman; whether sick, forget or well. Whether it’s a baby, mother, father, sister, dog, cat. The fact is – it doesn’t matter. Yes, it may have been a mistake – but when you are a parent or a handler – you have to be AWARE at all times. One bad decision –one mistake can and will cost a life – be it human or animal – there is no difference. This seems to happen much too often and we believe it is because they get away with it. Let this be a warning to all K9 officers out there that they will not be able to make such mistakes and just be let go. If we send the message – they will wake up.

Pls. handle this in the proper – law abiding manner and prosecute Mr. Williams. Pls. do not allow him to ever handle another animal or own an animal or be on the force ever again. One mistake can cost you your life!

And God bless Zane.

(signed by well over 3,000 people worldwide and sent to original receivers with signatures and comments)

 

(letter to receivers with Petition, signatures and comments)

July 28, 2015

It is with great respect and heavy hearts that we send this Petition to you.  We, the animal advocates from around the WORLD are very sickened by the current act of Corporal Jeramy Williams of the Conyers police department to Zane, his K9 partner.

 

This Petition was written and signed by countless animal advocates from Malaysia, Japan, S. Africa, UK and many, many other countries around the world, along with numerous U.S. states.  We all beg for justice for Zane. 

 

A K9 dog is an officer of the law.  This K9 protects not only his handler but the public at large. This dog goes where no human officer can go and takes the risks that human officers do not have to take due to his obedience and service.

We believe that the handler must be held responsible for the care of his/her K9 and be their voice. 

 

In this case, and many cases like this, Mr. Williams was not a voice for Zane.  Therefore, we, as worldwide animal advocates feel that we need to be Zane’s voice. 

 

Handlers leaving their K9 partners in hot cars is becoming a norm in this country and it is time that we stand up and speak for those dogs that cannot speak for themselves. They are at the mercy of their handlers. Someone, somewhere, sometime, needs to send a message to all states, counties and the government that this type of behavior will no longer be tolerated. The reason this keeps occurring is because there is no punishment for killing a dog. If officers can come up with an excuse – then it is acceptable. That is what the public is hearing and seeing. Why do you think that the public does not fully trust police officers anymore?  It is incidents like this that make the public believe that officers are not being held to the high standards of yesteryears, which does not warrant respect.

 

I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be left in a hot car (as described in the petition) to suffer the horrible and slow fate of certain death.  Not only death, but a slow, debilitating and very painful death. 

 

One thing we would like to emphasize, is that seemingly, Corporal Williams put Zane in his kennel in the car (since he lived with him) and went to work out at the gym. While at the gym, Corporal Williams said he felt sick and left the gym, drove home and got out of the car – leaving Zane kenneled in the car), went into the house and took a nap.  Due to his illness, he just happened to forget that Zane was in the hot car.  Does this sound like a logical and reasonable explanation of events and excuses for leaving his brave partner in a car that was well over 100 degrees on a hot summer day for 7 hours to you?  And, if he went to the gym before he even got sick, then logic says he had to have left him in the car for (how many?) hours prior to the 7 hours left while he slept.  According to the one news account, Corporal Williams “thought” he took Zane to kenneling; however, Zane lived with Corporal Williams according to another news account.  So, our question has to be – How could he forget his K9 partner who could not speak for himself?  Also, how could Zane have been alive in the car after Mr. Williams’ workout – was this all a ruse to escape responsibility?  “Police say the distraught officer discovered the dog when he went to the car to report back to work Thursday night.”  That is a very long time full of horrible pain, agony and ultimate death.

 

If you Google K9’s in hot cars, you will see how many, many cases of police officers that leave their K9 partners in hot cars.  Our question then would be – WHY?  Are officers not responsible enough to care for their partners?  Should we no longer allow police officers the right to have K9s to protect them and work with them because they cannot be responsible? They certainly are not showing the public that they care.  We have read so many excuses by officers that have left their K9s in hot cars and we say – “there are no excuses.”

 

It is stated in the news Conyers Police Chief Gene Wilson said, “We are committed to the care and proper treatment of our working K9s. We are mourning the loss of our own.”  However, we do not see this action because this is being treated as a misdemeanor and Corporal Williams is out on paid leave.  This is just wrong.  Why should he get paid for being out after he killed his partner?  If this were a civilian, he would be fined and in jail (I would hope).  Laws regarding animals have been passed and it is now a felony to abuse an animal.  This falls into that category.  Baking a dog has to be considered abuse. If a civilian kills an officer, the whole police department is used to hunt down and put that person in prison.  May I remind you that this was a “police officer?”

 

As you will read in our Petition, we are simply asking that Corporal Williams be fired since he obviously cannot protect a K9 partner, let alone the public, DO NOT GIVE HIM PAID LEAVE, and never allow him to have another dog in his lifetime.  Dogs are sentient beings and deserve the same love, compassion and caring as they give to us.  Do we just excuse parents that leave their children in hot cars?  There is no difference. God’s beings are all important to Him and should also be to us.

 

We thank you for reading our Petition and letter and we pray that you will give this focused, fair and prayerful thought and consider setting a precedence for the country so officers will get the message that this type of “forgetfulness” is totally UNACCEPTABLE.  The town of Conyers can be the first to turn this type of behavior around in a positive and caring manner.

I, personally, have spent a great deal of time and energy preparing, posting and collecting signatures from all over the world to be the voice for Zane and all K9s everywhere. I would sincerely appreciate you contacting me with your outcome pertaining to this Petition – Justice for Zane.

 

Respectfully yours,

 

 

 

Patti Mansfield

Georgia

 

Enclosure: Petition “Justice for Zane

                   3,222 Signatures with comments

 

Copy to:

Mayor Randal S. Mills

Senator David Perdue

Senator Johnny Isakson

Attorney General Sam Owens

Representative Hank Johnson

State Representative Pamela StephensonState Representative Dee Dawkins-Haigler