Sep 24, 2007 10:12 am US/Eastern
Officer On Trial For Killing His Own Police Dog
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MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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Cockfield posted $6,000 bond to get out of jail.
CBS
A Miami-Dade Police officer is scheduled to go on trial Monday accused of killing his own K-9 partner.
Sgt. Allen Cockfield faces charges stemming from a June 7th incident during a K-9 training exercise in which he allegedly kicked his Belgian Malinois police dog, "Duke", numerous times, and then shook the animal.
Cockfield reportedly beat the dog into unconsciousness; the animal later died.
A necropsy revealed the dog died of a medical complication as a result of being kicked.
If Cockfield is convicted, the animal rights organization PETA has asked prosecutors to ban Cockfield from any personal or professional contact with animals, to seize any animals currently in his custody and to require him to undergo thorough psychological evaluations followed by mandatory counseling.
Cockfield was relieved of duty without pay after being charged with animal cruelty and killing a police dog which is a third degree felony.
Doug Hartman, the officer's attorney, called the charges a travesty.
"I've never seen a case like this. He is one of the best dog handlers in the department,'' Hartman told our news partners at the Miami Herald back in June.
Hartman said that his client is an animal lover and that the dog was uncontrollable, causing Cockfield to take corrective action.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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