Tag: Presa Canarios Mastiff

Terrence Cody Gets 9-Month Jail Sentence in Animal Cruelty Case

Former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody, who was found guilty in November of five counts of animal neglect but acquitted of felony animal cruelty charges that he “intentionally tortured” and “cruelly killed” Taz, his Presa Canarios Mastiff, was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Cody was facing more than two years in jail, but apparently Judge Judith C. Ensor decided to be kinder to him than Cody was to his dog.

“He was a guy that portrayed himself as knowledgeable about animals — he knew about animals, he’s trained animals, he owned animals,” Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Lippe told WJZ today, “but he turned on this one dog.”

Back in November, before Ensor charged Cody with the five counts of animal neglect, she said was aware that not every “morally reprehensible” action is against the law, the Baltimore Sun reported.

Caroline Griffin, former chairperson of the Baltimore Anti-Animal Abuse Commission, told WBFF this week she didn’t understand why Ensor dropped the felony animal cruelty charges Cody had been facing.

“I think the public believes and a jury very likely would have found this to be a felony,” she said. “I think people are scratching their heads as to why he was convicted only of several misdemeanors.”

According to the disturbing details in a February 2015 indictment, Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, inflicted unnecessary suffering or pain on Taz. They did not provide their dog with nutritious food or proper drink in sufficiency quantity, did not provide proper space for their dog, and did not provide necessary veterinary care.

Taz weighed only 50 pounds when he died in January. The average weight for a Presa Canarios Mastiff is about 100 pounds.

“The evidence in this case was that he directed all his attention or lack of attention to this one animal,” Lippe told WBFF. “He deliberately picked on one of his dogs. The other dogs were fat and happy. Taz he decided to kill.”

Cody was dropped from the Ravens after the February indictment was made public.

Last month, Kelley was sentenced to 60 days in jail for animal cruelty.

Cody was also sentenced today to probation for the illegal possession of an alligator and possession of drug paraphernalia. He cannot own or possess an animal during his 18 months of supervised probation (after which, apparently, he’s free to buy and starve another dog). Cody must also undergo mental health treatment.

Photo via Twitter

NFL’s Terrence Cody Cleared of Animal Abuse Charges for Letting His Dog Starve

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

After a three-day bench trial, former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody has been acquitted of felony animal cruelty charges that he “intentionally tortured” and “cruelly killed” Taz, his Presa Canarios Mastiff, earlier this year.

Judge Judith C. Ensor did, however, charge Cody with five counts of animal neglect, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Before announcing her verdict, the judge said she was aware that not every “morally reprehensible” action is against the law.

Cody was also found guilty of illegally possessing and neglecting an alligator, and convicted of two misdemeanor drug charges.

According to the disturbing details in a February 2015 indictment, Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, inflicted unnecessary suffering or pain on Taz; did not provide their dog with nutritious food or proper drink in sufficiency quantity; did not provide proper space; and did not provide necessary veterinary care.

Taz weighed only 50 pounds when he died in January. The average weight for a Presa Canarios Mastiff is about 100 pounds.

Cody was dropped from the Ravens after the February indictment was made public.

In his opening statements Thursday, prosecutor Adam Lippe said Taz “died a horrible, miserable death.” He displayed a photo of Taz’s small cage, filled with feces and vomit, and compared it to a photo of Cody’s shoe room, which was neat and tidy.

On the witness stand in his own defense Friday, Cody said he and his uncle run a breeding operation in Alabama. When Taz started losing weight in December 2014, Cody said his uncle thought he might have worms and advised Cody to give him medication for the condition.

About a month later, Cody finally took the emaciated dog to a veterinarian.

“I asked them could they help me with my dog, because my dog was very sick,” he testified, according to WBAL.

When he was told Taz died hours later, Cody said he was “speechless. I went into my own little world. I was still shocked that he was gone.”

Baltimore County Police Sgt. Andrew MacLellan testified Friday that when he executed a search warrant on Cody’s property two days after Taz died, he found the dog’s filthy cage in the garage. He said the smell was so bad that he and other detectives had to hold their noses and cover their mouths.

Cody told him Taz had only become sick a few days before he died, MacLellan testified. He said he kept him in the garage because he was a guard dog.

During the search, the detectives also found drug paraphernalia and a 3-foot-long alligator in a 3-foot-long tank.

Kelley’s attorney said she is innocent and was not involved in Taz’s care. Like Cody, she was acquitted of the felony animal cruelty charges (as well as the alligator and drug charges) and found guilty on the five counts of neglect.

Judge Ensor decided the verdict since Cody and Kelley chose a bench trial rather than a trial by jury. Cody is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 5, and Kelley on Jan. 22.

They are each facing more than a year of prison time and thousands of dollars in fines.

Photo via Twitter

Animal Cruelty Trial Begins for NFL’s Terrence Cody

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Former Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Terrence Cody is finally going to trial on felony charges that he “intentionally tortured” and “cruelly killed” Taz, his Presa Canarios Mastiff, earlier this year.

According to the disturbing details in a February 2015 indictment, Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, inflicted unnecessary suffering or pain on Taz; did not provide their dog with nutritious food or proper drink in sufficiency quantity; did not provide proper space; and did not provide necessary veterinary care.

Taz weighed only 50 pounds when he died in January. The average weight for a Presa Canarios Mastiff is about 90 to 110 pounds.

“This dog died a horrible, miserable death because of the conduct of both of these defendants,” said prosecutor Adam Lippe in opening statements at the trial, which began today in Baltimore County Circuit Court, the Baltimore Sun reports.

Lippe displayed photos of the starved dog’s body and the filthy cage he had to live in.

Along with the two aggravated animal cruelty charges, Cody and Kelley are facing an additional 13 misdemeanor counts for everything from drug possession to illegally owning an alligator — which, no surprise, was also neglected.

Cody’s attorney, Joe Murtha, admitted Taz was neglected, but he insisted that Cody did not intend for the dog to die. Really? Anyone with half a brain — even an NFL player — should know dogs and other living things need food and water to survive.

Kelley’s attorney said she is innocent and was not involved at all in Taz’s care. So apparently she either didn’t notice or chose to ignore the starving dog in the filthy cage.

Cody, who is expected to take the stand, was dropped from the Ravens after the February indictment.

If found guilty, he faces a maximum of six years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for the felony animal cruelty counts, and up to 90 days in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine for the five misdemeanor counts.

Nov. 13, 2015 Update: Cody Takes the Stand

On the witness stand in his own defense today, Terrence Cody said he loved dogs and has had them as pets ever since he was 5 years old, the Baltimore Sun reports. He said he even sneaked one into his college dorm.

Cody and his uncle run a breeding operation in Alabama. When Taz started losing weight in December 2014, Cody said his uncle thought he might have worms and advised Cody to give him medication for the condition.

On the night of Jan. 19, Cody wrapped Taz in a blanket and, finally, took the emaciated dog to a veterinarian.

“I asked them could they help me with my dog, because my dog was very sick,” he testified, according to WBAL.

When he was told Taz died hours later, Cody said he was “speechless. I went into my own little world. I was still shocked that he was gone.”

Prosecutors say Cody and his girlfriend, Kourtney J. Kelley, neglected Taz for a month. Yesterday a forensics veterinarian testified that the dog did not have worms.

Baltimore County Police Sgt. Andrew MacLellan testified today that when he executed a search warrant on Cody’s property two days after Taz died, he found the dog’s cage, filled with feces and vomit, in the garage. He said the smell was so bad he and other detectives had to hold their noses and cover their mouths.

Cody told him Taz had only become sick a few days before he died, MacLellan testified. He said he kept him in the garage because he was a guard dog.

During the search, the detectives also found drug paraphernalia and a 3-foot-long alligator in a small tank.

The trial is scheduled to resume on Monday. Judge Judith C. Ensor will decide the verdict since Cody and Kelley chose a bench trial rather than a trial by jury.

Photo via Twitter

NFL’s Terrence Cody ‘Intentionally Tortured’ and ‘Cruelly Killed’ his Dog, Indictment Says

MARCH 24, 2016 UPDATE: Terrence Cody was sentenced today to nine months in the Baltimore County Detention Center.

Disturbing details were released today regarding the Baltimore County grand jury indictment against Terrence Cody. The NFL player, who was cut from the Baltimore Ravens last week, is facing 15 charges, including two felony aggravated cruelty charges involving his dog.

Monday’s indictment, published today by the Baltimore Sun, alleges that between Dec. 19, 2014 and Jan. 19, 2015, Cody “did intentionally torture” and “did intentionally cruelly kill” his dog, resulting in the two felony counts. (His dog, named Taz, is referred to as a Presa Canarios Mastiff, not a Bullmastiff, as previously reported.)

The five misdemeanor animal abuse counts are for inflicting unnecessary suffering or pain on his dog; not providing his dog with nutritious food in sufficiency quantity; not providing proper drink; not providing proper space; and not providing necessary veterinary care.

Cody’s agent, Peter Schaffer, insisted last week that Taz died from worms. “If the dog was being treated cruelly, why take it to a vet?” he said, according to TribLIVE Sports. “When the dog passed away, Terrence was in tears.”

But an unidentified source told Aaron Wilson, who covers the Ravens for the Baltimore Sun, that Taz was severely underweight.

“Dog that died owned by Terrence Cody was roughly 50 pounds, should have had a body weight at least twice as high, per source,” Wilson tweeted today.

The source said a bone was discovered in Taz’s stomach, which may have been causing him not to eat. Taz died shortly after he was finally taken to a veterinarian.

If Cody is convicted, he faces a maximum of six years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine for the felony animal cruelty counts, and up to 90 days in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine for the five misdemeanor counts. He is also charged with misdemeanor animal abuse and neglect counts related to his pet alligator.

Cody could also be disciplined with a suspension or fine under the NFL’s recently toughened-up personal conduct policy. “If another teams signs him, he would be held accountable under the policy,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello wrote in an email to the Baltimore Sun.

Cody is free on $10,000 bail. He has not commented on the charges, and has not yet been assigned an arraignment or court date.

Photo via Twitter

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