Switch to ADA Accessible Website
Orlando Criminal Lawyer

Florida Man Charged with Animal Cruelty for Dragging Shark Given 10 Days in Jail

shutterstock_239247520

One of the men in Florida who was charged two years ago with felony counts of aggravated animal cruelty after helping to drag a shark to its death was recently sentenced to jail for 10 days, which the court found could be served on the weekends. In addition to the video of dragging the shark, other fish and game violations committed by these men emerged, including those showing the men shooting at sharks and pouring alcohol down fish’ throats while they were still alive.

While he initially faced felony charges, the one man who was sentenced to 10 days in jail – Robert Lee Benac – took a plea for misdemeanor charges and aggravated cruelty to animals, as well as violating Fish and Wildlife and Conservation Commission rules. He was also given 12 months’ probation and ordered to perform 250 hours of community service, as well as pay a $2,500 fine.

From Not Guilty to Guilty Pleas

Initially, the three men had entered non-guilty pleas over the incident, however, after the video went viral and attention was drawn to the issue due to comments from celebrity fishermen and others, Governor Rick Scott got involved and requested that Florida Fish and Wildlife press charges for the crime, and this could have placed a significant amount of pressure on the men to plead guilty to lesser charges. In addition to other videos emerging showing the men pouring beer into the gills of fish and a hammerhead shark, other photos reportedly emerged, showing the men posing with protected species, including spotted eagle rays and pelicans.

Do Animal Cruelty Statutes Even Cover Fish?

The final sentence is a far cry from what each man originally faced, which included two counts of aggravated animal cruelty (a third-degree felony), punishable with up to five years in prison and a fine of $10,000. However, these types of charges are rare here in Florida, especially when it comes to charging individuals with animal cruelty for alleged crimes committed against fish. In fact, in a number of states, certain types of animals have been held to exist entirely outside of animal cruelty statutes; for example, not only fish, but also mice, crustaceans, all animals without spines, and others. Still others argue that some states, like Florida, intended to cover all living animals, including all marine life, if the activity involves “abusing and torturing.”

Contact Our Orlando Criminal Defense & Civil Rights Attorneys

If you or a loved one has been charged with animal cruelty or similar crimes, contact our experienced Orlando criminal attorneys at the Baez Law Firm to find out how we can provide you with the very best legal defense and help ensure that your rights are protected.

 

Resource:

nypost.com/2019/09/15/florida-man-in-sick-shark-dragging-video-gets-10-days-jail/

https://www.baezlawfirm.com/november-6-florida-election-results-part-ii-voting-rights-animal-welfare-laws/

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
Miami

Miami Office

1200 Brickell Avenue, Suite 1410
Miami, FL 33131
Office: 305-999-5100
Fax: 305-999-5111
Orlando

Orlando Office

250 N Orange Ave, Suite 750
Orlando, FL 32801
Office: 407-705-2626
Fax: 407-705-2625

Email Us

Fields Marked * Are required

DISCLAIMER: Completing and submitting this form or otherwise merely contacting The Baez Law Firm or any individual at the firm will not establish an attorney/client relationship. Our firm cannot represent you until we determine that there would be no conflict of interest and that we are otherwise able to accept representation of your case. Please do not send any information or documents until a formal attorney/client relationship has been established through an interview with an attorney and you have been given authorization in the form of an engagement letter with The Baez Law Firm. Any information or documents sent via this form or otherwise prior to your receipt of an engagement letter will not be treated as confidences, secrets, or protected information of any nature. Submitting information regarding your potential case will not bar The Baez Law Firm from representing or continuing to represent a person or entity whose interest are adverse to your in condition with your case.

protected by reCAPTCHA Privacy - Terms
Please review the highlighted fields. They are required.
DISCLAIMER: This website contains information about The Baez Law Firm that includes testimonial statements from persons who are familiar with the firm's services. The testimonials shown are not necessarily representative of every person's experience with us. Testimonials from every client are not provided. As no two situations or persons are identical, the facts and circumstances of your situation may differ from those for which testimonials are shown. This website also includes information about some of the past results that we have obtained for our clients. Not all results are provided, and the results shown are not necessarily representative of all results obtained by us. No two situation are exactly alike; every person's situation is unique and the outcome for each person depends on the individual facts.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.
MileMark Media - Practice Growth Solutions

© 2015 - 2024 Baez Law Firm. All rights reserved.
This law firm website and legal marketing are managed by MileMark Media.

Contact Form Tab Contact Form Tab