Justice will hopefully prevail for two slain dogs: Texas mail carrier Ricky Eugene Jackson, who killed Yorkshire terrier Maxwell with a rock, has turn himself in and been arrested, and a second officer, Thomas Schmidt, has been charged along with Baltimore police officer Jeffrey Bolger for slitting the throat of a runaway Shar-Pei named Nala.
In May we brought you the tragic news of Maxwell, the 10-pound dog who was bludgeoned by a mailman for no apparent reason. The Brown family of north Texas were devastated to have to put their little guy to sleep following the massive head injury. When Lawrence Brown confronted Jackson, he was astounded by what he heard.
“At the time, I didn’t know it was my wife’s dog. I just heard a loud yell,” he said. “So when I looked at the postman as he was walking up the street, I asked him, ‘What did you do to that dog?’ He said, ‘I got me one.’
“I said, ‘You got one? Did you Mace him?’ ‘No, I hit him with a rock.’”
Jackson was placed on paid administrative leave, and now has been arrested and is facing a charge of animal cruelty.
In the case of Nala, Baltimore police officer Jeffrey Bolger has been charged with animal cruelty for maliciously killing a dog who was already being restrained by a catch pole. Nala had gotten loose from her yard and nipped a woman who was trying to catch her. She called the police to help get the dog, but didn’t have any idea they would be so vile.
While Nala was restrained by the pole, officer Thomas Schmidt, a 24-year veteran, held her down as 20-year veteran officer Bolger slit her throat. Charging documents state that Bolger was heard yelling, “I am going to gut this [expletive] thing!”
“She was just the sweetest dog and would never hurt anyone. She was just scared that day and through all of those events – scared and lost, thirsty, hungry – yes, I’m very sure that she bit someone, but the actions after that were not okay,” said Nala’s owner Sarah Gossard.
There was no indication that Nala was even slightly aggressive toward either man, and the Baltimore Police Department refused to stand by their fellow officers, immediately yanking them off the street. Bolger is facing a felony charge, but at the moment it is unknown what charge Schmidt is facing.
“Whoever was covering up, whoever witnessed it and did nothing, I think they should all be looked into as well,” said Gossard.
