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By Linda Thomson
Deseret Morning News
A man who blinded his
estranged wife's puppy in one
eye with a leaf blower and
burned the animal in a 200-
degree oven for five minutes
will spend the next six months
in jail.
Third District Judge Wil-
liam Barrett on Monday sen-
tenced Marc Vincent, 36, to a
year in jail but suspended six
months. Barrett also ordered
Vincent to get a mental-
health evaluation and follow
any prescribed treatment
and medication regimens.
"I don't like people who
abuse animals," Barrett said.
"I don't like people who abuse
children. Animals and children
are vulnerable."
Vincent had previously
pleaded guilty to one count of
aggravated animal cruelty, a
class A misdemeanor that car-
ries a maximum sentence of a
year in jail. A second identical
charge was dismissed as part of
a plea bargain.
Barrett also imposed 24
months probation; ordered
Vincent to stay away from his
estranged wife and her dog,
as well as any other animals;
and ordered a $500 fine and
$986 in restitution for veteri-
nary bills.
The dog, Henry, a black
Chihuahua-mix, lost his left
eye due to the leaf-blower
incident and had some of the
claws on his feet fused
together by the oven's heat,
butt otherwise seems to be
doing well. He was about six
months old when the oven
incident took place.
Vincent's estranged wife,
Rhonda Kamper, brought
Henry to court Monday, and
Barrett let her bring Henry to
the bench and hold him up
so the judge could check
the dog.
Vincent's lawyer said her
client has no criminal history
and, after the oven incident,
immediately enrolled in a
counseling program for indi-
viduals with mental disor-
ders. Vincent told the court
he wanted to apologize to the
public, and also his family
and his friends for causing
them embarrassment. |
"I know what I did was
wrong," Vincent said. "I am
getting mental-health help."
Kamper told the judge she
was afraid to be around Vin-
cent, even in the courtroom.
"I do have a protective order
against him. Just seeing him
here today -- my heart just
pounds," she said.
Kamper also questioned
the sincerity of Vincent's
apology, since he said he was
sorry to everyone except her.
during the hearing, Barrett
brandished a sheaf of letters
from animal lovers who were
outraged by what happened
to Henry.
"This is all because of
you," the judge said, shaking
the thick packet of letters.
"Your conduct was just hor-
rendous."
Barrett said what troubled
him most was a letter from
Kamper, who described how
Vincent had hurt the dog
almost daily and showed no
remorse at home after the
incidents.
Outside the courtroom,
Gene Baierschmidt, director
of the Humane Society of
Utah, said he expects a bill
making intentional torture of
an animal a third-degree fel-
ony to be introduced in the
next legislative session. It has
been brought forward twice
before, but got nowhere due
to fears it would interfere
with the work of farmers and
ranchers.
This bill would not affect
"accepted husbandry practic-
es" and would not influence
farming, ranching, rodeo or
hunting activities, Baier-
schmidt said.
"We think this is a serious
crime, and when animal
abuse goes on in the home,
there's child abuse or domes-
tic abuse (involving an adult
partner) in many of these
cases."
Marc Vincent
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