Local animal lovers upset over delays on puppy death case

An Imperial man accused of shooting a puppy to death had a scheduled hearing in court Wednesday morning.

A local animal rights group said they’re frustrated at the apparent series of delays in the Clarke case.

31-year-old Jonathan Torres of Imperial was given a September 6th pre-trial date by an Imperial County Court judge at Wednesday’s hearing. He’s accused of shooting and killing a nine-week-old puppy named Clarke. He faces two felony counts.

Police recovered a Smith-and-Wesson firearm at his residence during his arrest. A warrant was issued out for a witness who has not appeared at the hearings. If the witness fails to appear in September, he may be arrested.

A deputy district attorney said they’ll decide at the pre-trial whether to plea bargain or go to jury trial.

This has upset local animal lovers who want Torres’ punishment to serve as an example for other potential animal abusers.

“What this will do is it may help to be a deterrent against future people that are going to abuse animals. Hurting animals is the gateway for future crimes committed to humans,” Marcelino Felician said.

Torres is free on a $1,500 bail bond. The animal lovers group said they plan to be present at his next court appearance in September.

The U.S. Humane Society reports on their website that animal cruelty is now included in the national crime reporting system.

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