Three charged with torturing, killing endangered tortoises

[Baitball Blogger]

Three young men are charged with torturing and killing endangered tortoises this weekend in Orange County, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Michael Dublin, 20, of Jacksonville; Dalton Bothwell, 19, and a 17-year-old boy, both of Middleburg, are charged with killing and wounding a threatened species and felony cruelty to animals. The charges are third-degree felonies and could result in up to five years in prison.

Wildlife officers say the trio ran over two gopher tortoises and slammed them into the ground "just to see what would happen," while in the Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area last month.

The tortoises were still alive when officers say the suspects picked them up and "intentionally slammed them violently to the ground," according to a news release.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-06-04/news/os-tortoise-tortured-killed-three-arrested-20120604_1_gopher-tortoises-wildlife-officers-wildlife-alert-hotline

[BlueIris]

1. A generation of ghouls.

Awful.

[antigone382]

2. No, three people.

I'm in Honduras with four kids who are teaching people how to build solar panels and use other sources of alternative energy. Why should our age instantly classify us as ghouls?

I know a lot of other young people who are doing everything in their power to right the wrongs of this world, just as many people from previous generations have done. I also know a few young people who are craven monsters, just as there have been a few craven monsters in previous generations, as in this DU story: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002760678

What these kids have done was heinous and criminal, and it should and will be punished. However, please base criticisms of individuals on their individual behavior, and not on their demographic characteristics.

[GoCubsGo]

7. Yep. And, may I add...

... to your kids the ones I know who are working on studies to save those endangered tortoises.

[LiberalAndProud]

3. Yea.

Oh, you probably weren't talking about that generation, huh? My bad.

[MineralMan]

8. No. Not a generation at all.

Every generation has mean assholes as part of it. To damn an entire generation for the actions of some mean assholes is so short-sighted as to be ludicrous.

Surely you can do better than that...surely.

[magical thyme]

4. what vile, despicable scum

I truly wish somebody would run over them and slam them into the ground. Then they will get their answer.

[get the red out]

5. I agree

I can't abide cruelty to defenseless creatures. It makes me physically hurt. These are evil people.

[byeya]

6. Sign me up as another who dispises cruelty to animals

and a do-nothing attitude to loss of biodiversity.
Long jail terms are deserved.

[Doremus]

9. Perhaps they'll get a proper sentence since these are endangered animals.

We can only hope the tortoises get a bit more justice than most tortured, maimed and abused animals get, which is very little if any at all.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. There's a little gopher turtle nearby who has been trying to reclaim his habitat.

I know his time is almost up. There use to be a large habitat nearby. They removed them with cranes.

[Doremus]

11. So sad.

And so stupid. By the time we actually learn that we need our environment, and not just for how much $$$$ it can put in our pockets, it will be too late.

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. kick. poor animals