North Side man jailed for taunting police dog
By Jill King Greenwood
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, October 10, 2007


A dog-taunting charge has put a North Side man behind bars on $100,000 bond.
Kenneth King, 23, is charged with taunting Benny, the German shepherd partner of Pittsburgh police Officer Ron Absted, according to an arrest affidavit. Police said King screamed and swore at the dog Sunday afternoon outside a Cedar Avenue gas station and threatened to cut the dog with a knife.

"He's never broken the law before, so I don't think he realizes how serious this situation is," said King's mother, Annette Cash, of the North Side. "But to give him a bail that high? People have been arrested for actually hurting other people and don't have bonds that high. It makes no sense."

District Judge Eugene Ricciardi, who set the bond, couldn't be reached Tuesday. Absted declined to comment.

"The bottom line is that dog does a lot for us and protects us, and we have a duty to protect him," said city K-9 Sgt. Chris Micknowski. "He's that officer's partner."
Benny began barking when King walked past Absted's Chevy Tahoe police truck, which is marked with the words "Police Dog Stay Back."

King reached into his back pocket while threatening the animal's life and screaming that he hates dogs, the police affidavit states. Absted restrained King and found a 6-inch long knife in his back pocket, police said.

Taunting police animals is a felony under the state's animal cruelty law.

Cash said her husband has talked to King in jail and he admitted swearing at the dog, but said he didn't deserve to be arrested.

She said the family cannot afford an attorney or the high bail. King faces a preliminary hearing on Oct. 16.


Jill King Greenwood can be reached at jgreenwood@tribweb.com or 412-321-2160.

Well if they can't afford the bail I guess he will be in jail until his court date ... darn. I remember the days when we respected the police and the job they did (K-9 dogs are police in my opinion).
Tara

I remember the beat cop when I was much younger used to crack you on your butt if you misbehaved and you respected his authority along with your parents. Let him try and do that now.

People should learn to respect all law enforcement especially the 4 legged kind.

I hope this jerk learns a valuable lesson in this, although I don't think he will. He needs to sit there till his court date and think about it.

K-9's are cops, and should get equal respect as their counterparts.

People were squawking about on WPXI last night but as you said they should get respect they are police officers

My sister in law is on the Memphis dog squad & when her dog Bryan was shot in the line of duty, they gave him an officer's memorial service (he was cremated).
Ya do the crime, ya do the time...

For Bryan, and all the dogs who have lost their lives in the line of duty.

You don't mess with a K-9. When I worked the southeast of Baltimore City, every Friday or Saturday we would drive the medic unit to Fells Point and sit at the end of South Broadway, because we knew sooner or later we will be there, it a place that has over 200 bars. We would go up to the police cars with the dogs and even though we had on a uniform, the dogs would bark, growl, until the officer took them its o.k. they are good, they are paramedics, they will help us if we get shot or hurt, and finally they would settle down. What beautiful dogs.

In our paper this am
He spent 9 days in Jail and they waved the 100 thousand $ bail

They shouldn't have let him out so soon. Let us know if you read what happens in court.

Or is that it.

Will do have to check the paper again and see if there is more no condition to do any hunting today

So far the only thing that this scum bag is facing is an Anger Management Course. Has another hearing will update you on the results

The police dogs and don't forget the police horses.

He deserves more than 9 days in jail