YOUR COMMENTS

i have a friend who is going to jail for drunk driving and killing someone, min. of 7 years...... why is a persons life any more valuable than an animals? thats the way it should be
- ad, ctr barnstead

If the cat was run over the BONES would have been crushed and broken and skin broken.
- Randall, IA

i know this man and has seen him around cats, if he was so mean to them they wouldnt be going up to him and be so friendly. They should look at the reasonable doubt here. if the cat got ran over and died on the porch, duh the feces would be there. did they look for this cord? did they analyze that?
- m, charlestown nh

Lets not blur the facts of this case with petty comments as...."white trash"..or involve "abortion"...or "pet poop" ....lets talk cruelty...
Laws are in place to protect us from acts of cruelty....of any kind.
These laws apply to everyone, and soon we will know the outcome.
TC,...although I would not place a pedophile in a daycare center... jail time may not be of benefit in this particular case. Sychological help is whats needed here and I feel the defendant might gain something important from working/helping animals for a year. He likely would become a better person, and isn't that what so called "appropriate punishment" is aimed at accomplishing?
- S.W., Wolfeboro

Two glaring mistakes in the Senz article.
1. Vanilla-Clove Moonstone said "shame on you" TO the attorney when asked if her cat had been run over.
2. It was never alleged that anyone "placed" the injured cat on Mr. Robie's porch. Three witnesses testified that this porch was the way Ms. Moonstone's cats always returned to their home--her apt. The injured cat was simply found there, trying to get home.
- MDH, Acworth, NH

As a cat lover myself I think this scum bag should be locked up and the key thrown away! They sound like low life white trash to begin with and he had no business killing his neighbors cat!
- Sher, Concord, NH

The thing that probably convinced the jury of Mr. Robie's guilt is the fact that the excrement was found on his porch, not in the road, indicating that is where the cat's life ended. The conviction carries a maximum sentence of 7 years and the PSI that will be done will provide the necessary information for sentencing. He did kill a domestic animal so he deserves to spend some time in jail, but should not do community service in any type of animal facility. Unchecked or unpunished, it is a proven fact that animal cruelty leads to more serious crimes. I for one commend the prosecution and the jury.
- Dale Childs, ACO, Hampstead, New Hampshire

I keep seeing people recommeding community service at an animal shelter. I cannot imagine anything more inappropriate!

Would you have a convicted pedophile serve communtiy service in proximity to your children?? I think not.

There are no easy answers to the cat overpopulation problem. Unfortunately, until people become responsible animal owners (PRIOR TO ACQUIRING ONE!), the words spay & neuter will continue to be a mystery to most people.
- TC, Manchester, NH

Congratulations, folks - you've been blogged:

http://paganwiccan.about.com/b/2009/01/22/monty-pythonesque-prosecution-wont-work-in-nh.htm

To the folks who are compaining about the potential maximum sentence: 7 years isn't the judge's or court's opinion on what the maximum penalty should be - it's the law. In the absence of aggravating factors, such as prior convictions for similar crimes, it's very unlikely this defendant will receive the maximum. During sentencing, which, although it's been pointed out here multiple times, hasn't taken place yet, the judge will assert his opinion on the appropriate punishment in the form of a sentence.

To many others: we DO NOT have the full story. There is no reasonable way in a newspaper article to share with us everything the jury saw and heard. Accusing the jury of making the wrong decision is just pure ignorance, because none of us has all the facts. Please seek someone who has served on a jury and you might be surprised how fair and impartial they are. Jurors take their role very seriously the vast majority of the time, and the fact that there are tweleve of them helps assure that the group as a whole is playing it by the book. I know there are times when it seems a jury makes an outrageous decision, but we must always keep in mind that unless we attended the trial, we did not see and hear what the jury saw and heard. We are also frequently supplied with information that forms our opinions, but is not admissible in court. There is a huge difference between 'knowing' what happened and being able to demonstrate it legally. Keep in mind that the laws regarding what is and is not admissible is what prevents innocent people from being convicted of something they did not do.

If you feel the defendent was wrongly convicted AND you insist on placing blame, I'd suggest looking at the defense counsel first. Based on the quotes in this story, it looks to me as though he may have taken some risks that did not pay off. Is a lawyer with a guilty client forced to take more risks than one with an innocent client? We can only speculate on that.

Bottom line: I don't know what happened to the cat, but I have tremendous faith that the jury made the right decision based on the legal evidence presented at trial.
- Jose H, Manchester, NH

Pierre of Manchester,
The life of every living thing on this planet shares equal value. You included.
Yes, its true. And if you should ever choose to become a pet owner I'm sure you will understand.
Its unfortunate Buddha has become a posterchild for cruelty. Mr. Robie will
likely see a $1000.00 fine and 12 months service at a local shelter. Cruelty whether it be human or animal is unacceptable behavior.
Pets are true family members. Just ask anyone who owns one.
- S.W., Wolfeboro

The solution to all of this is for a law to be enacted where cat owners have to do the same thing as dog owners- they should be fixed and leashed.
To all you animal coddlers out there- instead of wasting taxpayers money supporting this guy in jail, why don't you go out and do something about it? Encourage cat owners to keep their pets indoors, have them fixed and while you are at it, why not pick up every stray you see and bring them into your home. Don't expect people to put up with the disgusting mess cats leave behind and have no recourse.
- Luke, Bristol

Dan,

I am not sure you are referring to when you talk about "partial birth abortion," but the procedure known as intact dilation and extraction was banned by federal law in 2003. In any case, late term abortions are performed to protect the life and health of the mother, quite a different situation than someone gratuitously torturing an animal for kicks or because he is in a pissy mood. The heartbreaking late abortions involve a choice between the death of the fetus and the death or serious bodily injury of its mother, often a mother who has already decorated the nursery in anticipation of a much wanted baby. These are not comparable situations.
- Tina, Bedford

7 years for killing a cat.......Partial birth abortion is leagal. What is wrong with this picture???
- Dan, Canterbury

Wow, there are clearly people who have no respect for the value of all life, be they human or animal or plant. If I step onto someone's doorstep, does that mean I should be whipped to death too? How does that justify anyone doing the same to a cat? How would you feel if your family member (which pets are) were whipped to death? People who look down on other life forms as non-important should re-examine themselves and awaken to the fact that all life is interconnected. Every action affects every other part of the web of life. It is precisely this lack of respect for life that results in injustices within the system - to fellow humans, animals and all vulnerable sectors of society. To allow one crime to go unpunished or treated leniently sends a message that this is acceptable behaviour, and that other animals or humans can be treated the same way without consequence. Murder is murder. Let's hope your American court sends a clear message that violence is intolerable, no matter who the victim is, through an appropriate sentence. I agree, community service as part of the offender's sentence should be mandatory.
- Kim, Victoria, BC, Canada

It's amazing that someone would want to hurt someones pet. A nice long sentence would give him time to reflect on the stupid hurtful action.
- Todd Terrien, Pembroke, NH

Vanilla-Clove???? Really??


Anyone who would do something like that to a defenseless creature deserves to be punished.
- T, Derry

This is absurd! Based on what I read, there is a POSSIBILITY of Bruce NOT killing the cat. I thought it had to be PROVEN, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the crime was committed for someone to be guilty in a court of law? Am I missing something? And yes, I am an animal lover, I can't imagine hurting one never mind WATCHING someone hurt my pet, whom I consider a member of my family! I think I would've stepped in. AND if the guy is really a menace to society, maybe Moonstone should've had a restraining order on him.

That being said, it burns me up that he could face 7 yrs in prison for killing a CAT (which i don't think was PROVEN at all, if you didn't get the memo) and we see others getting away with murdering HUMANS! Something wrong with the justice system here. =/
- Ashley, Manchester, NH

I have a Dog and a cat. Theres a little female cat who lives under my garage, she is not mine but I feed her so she doesn't starve. It is not her fault that someone just threw her out or moved and left her and I would be devistated if someone intentionally injured her. Please people, life is life, none of us has the right to choose whose is valuable and whose is not!!! He had no right to do what he did and it should cost him!!!
- Jo, Allenstown

This man should be sentenced to community service at all the Animal shelters in the state of NH.
- Abigail H., Manchester

I will never understand people who value the life of an animal on the same level as that of a human being. That said this guy was dirt and should be punished for what he did to the cat.
- Pierre, Manchester

I love animals too, but lets be reasonable- 7 years for a cat???? Millions of animals are slaughtered everyday for food, we have hunting seasons, roadkill... thats all fine but one cat deserves a major trial, news article, and you want to destroy a man and his family over it?

How about a fine and some community serivce, and move on.
- Chris, Keene

I pray he gets the MAXIMUM punishment so there will be justice for Buddah who lost his life so viciously and senselessly. It's time we start actually punishing these monsters and send the message of ZERO tolerance

RIP Buddah
- Maret, Hudson, NH

Being an animal lover and having my cats stay in is a good solution for all involved. Unfortunately it is a natural instinct to cats to hunt birds. I have one cat that licks his chops when he sees a bird and another that could care less. Why would anyone want to kill an animal just for the sake of killing. Someone should whip his hide. I think he should also have alot of community service at an animal shelter cleaning cages. Total lack of respect for life, glad he will have to take responsibilty for his actions.
- Pat, Manchester, NH

Well, if Moonshine saw this guy beating her cat, why didn't she stop it????? It makes no sense. This is a perfect example of why you irresponsible cat owners should take care of your pets and keep them inside. This was not a "family pet". It was a "neighborhood nuisance". I have a cat that I love dearly, and I would personally strangle the person that laid a finger on him. However, I would not dream of opening the door and letting him roam the streets and poop all over the neighborhood. People need to stop being so irresponsible. The owner of this cat is partly to blame here.
- PE, Sandown NH

I can not believe we are wasting taxpayers dollars on some guy killing a cat.
If these people loved their animal so much, then it should have been kept on a leash in their own yard or kept in the house.
I am sick of cats peeing and messing all over my property. Cat urine does serious damage to paint and will never come out of anything they spray. I have no animals and they have no reason to be in my yard.
The owners should be just as liable for the cat being on someone elses property. Every other animal has to be kept on a leash or fenced in and cats should be no different.
I hope this teaches them and other cat owners a lesson.
- Pauline, Franklin

"Domestic cats very seldom even consume their catch. Just kill the mother bird and leave the eggs to wither. Where is the out cry I ask you!! How about laws to punish this practice. Both for the cat and the Irresponsible cat owners. how about an eye for an eye
- Russell, Concord"

It's called 'nature'. Beating a living thing with a cord is not an example of nature.
- Cynthia, Goffstown

Apparently Newport cares more about their local pets, than Manchester does about it citizens. Certainly this man deserves jail time for his actions; cruelty to animals is horrid. Manchester however might like to reconsider that "two elderly men fighting, resulting in the death (read murder) of one who was wheelchair bound" is not an "accident" when one is killed as a result of the others attack. This bears investigation and charges especially when the autopsy report shows the death as a result of the attack.
- Keri, Houlton, ME (NH native)

Heres a little fact for all you cat lovers. Irresponsible cat owners who let thier cat(s) roam outside, are directly responsible for the drastic decline in the native ground nesting song bird population around this country. Domestic cats very seldom even consume their catch. Just kill the mother bird and leave the eggs to wither. Where is the out cry I ask you!! How about laws to punish this practice. Both for the cat and the Irresponsible cat owners. how about an eye for an eye
- Russell, Concord

Come on! I am a animal lover but I must say he is looking at more time than someone who took the lives of two, yes two, young people. Is there any justice here? I think not! I feel for both families!
- DH, Claremont NH

The poor cat! How awful. I have four cats and if anyone touched either one, I am not sure what I would do. I hope he rots in jail for a long time.
- JT, Manchester

I respond to this as an animal lover. Unfortunately, many bad things happen to pets when we let them wander outside on their own. There are many cruel people out there...as we see by this story. Besides people like this, cats must contend with cars, other animals, traps, etc. I feel for the family of the pet as this should have NEVER happen, but this should be a testiment to why cats should be kept indoors. I have several of my own and also foster and would never live it down if I could have prevented my pet's death by simply keeping it inside.
- MC, Raymond

If he can beat an innocent animal like a defensless cat, he could be beating a defensless baby. How about this for additional punishment. Clean all the cat boxes in Newport NH every week for 1 year. After this he will never bother a cat again!
- Michael, Concord

That's the thing when you get a story and not the whole trial. If 2 people see someone whipping there cat why did they not run out and have a confrontation or at least try to stop the whipping. How is the cat "found" on the porch later and how much later, either the UL writer wrote the story poorly or this case makes no sense.

If someone knows the cat belongs to them and no ones home they may leave it on the porch but seems to me you see someone whipping your cat you are instantaneously with the cat and there can be no question.

Perhaps by time they got outside he was back in the house but it does not seem to indicate that. Also, how would Robie or his attorney know the cat was run over, did he claim to put the cat on the porch after it was run over? Story as told by the writer is very confusing. And in no way do I trust the jury to be right, especially based on the comments from the juror that it basically was a he said, she said and guess who you find more believable. A dumb basis for a conviction
- KEVIN, DERRY NH

Anyone that does this to an innocent animal deserves a stiff sentence. That was a family pet, and if it were mine that mans family would get the same reaction out of me.
Now he will set an example for his kids that you may not kill anything or anyone and get away with it!!!!!
- Christine, Manchester

TO: Cynthia, Goffstown
A wise man once said, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind." --Gandhi.....It would be more effective if he were required to do community service after he serves jail time.

TO: Paul, Hampton, NH
While I agree with you that Mr. Robie should serve some amount of jail time, your approach is offensive. You can't be sure Obama would reduce the sentence when there is no sentence imposed yet. Your comments are in the wrong forum.
- CAW, Derry, NH

I am a little troubles with the testimony of the Veterinarian. The autopsy indicated the cat could have been whipped with a cord OR hit by a car. If the Veterinarian was unsure the findings he should have had it done by the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at UNH. What is more likely. Being hit by a car is very common. I contend that if one were to whip a cat, after the first strike the cat would run away unless restrained which would not be easy. It would be more likely for a person to beat a cat than to whip it. Cats just don't hang around and let themselves be whipped. If he did this and the jury heard the whole testimony he should serve a considerable time in jail. [ note I was an animal cruelty investigator for 25 years and helped pass the legislation for the class B felony provision.]
- Peter, Kingston NH

Paul-- read the article, he was not sentenced yet. They just said what he COULD receive and what the judge COULD impose.....I am an animal lover and owner as well and could not imagine seeing someone do that. But why didn't Moonstone run outside if she saw that and stop it???????
- LC, Hudson

My heart goes out for that poor cat! How could anyone do such a thing? It was beyond cruel! May she rest in peace...
- Stephanie, Sandown NH

This is a perfect case for 8 hrs every Sat for a whole summer of community service
- David, Manchester

JB,
Why don't you pop over to my house and I can demonstrate to you what this poor cat went through and then tell me he doesn't deserve jail time.

I get that some people don't like animals and all but they are living creatures. They eat, drink, sleep, and feel pain. So why is it that people don't think its bad to hurt them? Would you whip your child with a cable? Most likely not... So why is this different?

~Rest in Peace Buddah~
- K K, Portsmouth

Paul,
He has not been sentenced yet. A sentencening hearing will be held within 60 days according to the article.
- Fred Cotilla, Franklin

Hey, JB. Write to your fellow far-left liberal, Obama. I'm sure he would reduce the sentence to the slap on the wrist you whine for. Or, perhaps, a nice fat "stimulus" check will make up for the loss of income. Hey, I wonder if felons can apply for a bailout.

The only entity in this case that can "make a point" is judge Arnold, when sentencing. We'll shortly see where he lies in the political spectrum.
- Paul, Hampton, NH

Justice served..
How many of you know a person or persons whom have a total disregard for the life of another....other humans, animals, etc.
Yes, they are out there...umoungst us all!
So...let this be an example....cruelty will not be tolerated...and you WILL pay the price. I'm sure our friends at the Humane Society would agree that there has to be a viable outlet to prosecute those who choose to release their frustrations and anger on helpless pets and wildlife.
If this fellow brutally killed "Buddha", theres no telling what he might focus his anger on next. Justice served.
- SW, Wolfeboro

He is lucky to have gotten the little sentence he got,i am an animal lover and if i was the judge i would have put him away for longer,i have no pity for him and I it would be in his best interest if i never see him anywhere!
- Paul, M

So how can this be justified. I don't think he should be in for that long, it is stupid. Now his family is losing possibly his source of income and the "courts" are trying to use this man to make a point.

I do think having him serve some home arrest time (so he can still work and make an income/living for his family) would be better. Having him do volunteer work with animal shelters, and hospitals is a good way to make him pay his dues too. Last, I think having him do public speaking to kids, like some who were drunk drivers have to do, as to why his actions were wrong and damaging to him and his family.
- JB, NH

It's cases like this that make me a firm believer in the 'eye for an eye' theory.
- Cynthia, Goffstown

I would like to know why Vanilla-Clove Moonstone wasn't questioned about Buddha's other eight lives. what happened to those??
- Pete, Concord

Considering the hard luck story of this guy chances are he will never see a jail cell. I had to laugh at his lawyers theory. Lets see if I have this right. Someone hits the cat with their car, gets out and just happens to throw it on his porch? Makes no sense to me. If the person was going to get out of the car after hitting it then common sense would say they would be trying to determine who owned it. Most would have kept on driving.
Too bad some people are so cruel. Hope he gets time but I doubt he will
- Bill B., Pelham

Let the guy off easy and maybe the next time he'll take out his frustrations on one of the neighbors. A guy who does this deserves a few years behind bars.
- Brian, Farmington

It's too bad this was not on court TV, How can you believe any of these people, the lady won;t allow he rkids to play with his kids, that can be justified but it's pretty clear this lady hates the other people and I'm sur has instilled that in he rkids so their testimiony is meaningless.

The only testimony worth listening too states "it's possible the cat was run over". It does seem juries ignore reaonable doubt and go with what it appears happens. Maybe there is more to the story and the evidence insinuates he did it but far from reasonable doubt based on the story. For that reason he will get a slap on the wrist, the evidence seems so flimsy.
When the juror claims " it really was the credibility of the witnesses" and then they believe someone that has hated the defendant for a long time.
Would you believe Rush Limbaugh if he testified against Obama?
- Kevin, Derry NH

TJL

I don't know about Alaska but in NH a drunk driver can get 3 to 7 seven years for killing someone while drunk behind the wheel.

This guy deserves some time in jail. It would send a message to all those other cat haters that killing your neighbors cat is not cool or fun but might land you in a rotten place like Valley Street.
- Chris, Merrimack

I would love to see this guy get at least a year, but he will get a slap on the wrist. All animal abusers do.

To make his punishment worse they should make TJL his bunkmate.
- Steve, Newington, CT

Yep. he should be put away for killing a cat or any other animal.
Maybe up in Juneau they allow you to drive drunk and or kill someone. Not around here.
I say give this guy 10 years in jail and follow that by 5 years of volunteer work at an animal hospital under close supervision
- J M Tuttle, Fla's treasure coast

TJL-AK: Yup... but keep in mind,youre talking about two different types of killings ... Im sure there will be arguments about one is worse than the other... however.. it goes to prove there is a true inconsistency when it comes to actions of crime that result in the death of someone/something.

Dont get me wrong, Im glad this jury found him guilty.. I bet it wasnt easy considering the discrepancies that had been discussed in the article. But, our system is definitely backwards.. I believe that if you are responsible for taking the life of another, be it human or animal, you should serve jail time, even if it were the first offense... there should be a no-exceptions way about it..
- Melanie, Manchester

Sooooo... you can drive drunk and kill some one and get no jail time, but this guy is going away for killing a cat(which he should)?
- TJL, Juneau, AK