Puppies Apparently Thrown Off Bridge to Their Deaths Deserve Justice

Target: Todd Gardenhire, Chair of Tennessee Senate Committee on the Judiciary

Goal: End unjust grand jury process that seemingly favors criminals over both human and non-human crime victims.

National Pet Day is a celebration of the animals that become beloved members of families, but it’s also a stark reminder of the millions of unwanted animals that become victims of abuse, neglect, or abandonment. The latter, an often underreported and forgotten offense, allegedly played out to a tragic end in Tennessee. A tote was discovered near a bridge. Inside this bag, which had apparently been tossed from the bridge, were six puppies. Only one was alive. It is believed the young pups may have met their grim fate on Christmas Day.

A 24-year-old suspect, Tyler Underwood, was eventually apprehended and could have been charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty. The suspect also apparently faced accusations of theft and probation violation. Despite these alleged crimes, this suspect will not only be free from any potential punishment. He will not even have a trial.

Underwood was not indicted by a Tennessee grand jury, which sets a notoriously high bar for indictments. In the majority of states, a grand jury is not even needed to bring formal criminal charges. And in the states where the grand jury process is required, most set the bar for indictment at a majority. In Tennessee’s case, however, if only two of the 13 jurors dissent then the charges will not move forward. As a result, Underwood, like so many other potential defendants—especially in low-priority cases like animal cruelty—never has to answer for the offenses of which he is accused.

Sign the petition below to demand this state’s lawmakers amend a process that works against victims and survivors of violent crimes.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Senator Gardenhire,

“A grand jury would indict a ham sandwich.” Tennessee proves that not all old adages have a ring of truth. Recently, two dissenters in a Morgan County grand jury spared a man accused of throwing weeks-old puppies off a bridge to their deaths from criminal charges. The man in question is also reportedly under investigation for other crimes, but now he is apparently free and in the clear.

Why is the bar set higher in this state for victims and survivors to get justice than almost anywhere else in the country? The grand jury process does not end with a conviction or a sentence. It is a formal bringing of charges. The standards for an indictment are therefore much less rigorous than the unanimous consent required for a traditional jury…except in Tennessee, where two dissenters (just like in the aforementioned case) can grind the wheels of justice to a halt.

Please reevaluate and revise this defective portion of Tennessee’s criminal system so that the scales of justice are truly balanced for all.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Sergio Souza


132 Comments

  1. Joseph Kenosky says:

    Euthanize the offenders.

  2. Patricia Lamonica says:

    THE STATE OF TENNESSEE IS DISGUSTING!!! THE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN CHARGE OF THE LAW THERE AND ALLOW THIS TO GO UNPUNISHED ARE LESS THAN HUMAN BEINGS SICK PHYCOPATHS!!!

  3. Shane Paul says:

    One of my favorite movies is “Law Abiding Citizen” and if you’ve seen it I’m sure you know exactly why I brought it up. The first one of these mthrfkrs that does this shit anywhere in range of where I live is gonna get the Gerard Butler treatment. And I’ll take plenty of pics to share with the world. If the govt won’t fight for these innocent little defenseless animals, I’ll gladly do it.

  4. Lock up SCUMBAG POS Tyler Underwood NOW!!! This scumbag lowlife should never be near any animals again!!

  5. Animals shall not be victims of human sadistic psychopaths. This crime must be severely punished.
    Animals are like children and deserve the same loving care as human kids.
    Dear SENATOR GARDENHIRE: I hope that KARMA will get you one day and YOU, YOUR FAMILY and YOUR CHILDREN will be abused or killed, but they won’t get any justice because grand jury will prefer to spare and free a perpetrator.
    THIS IS WHAT I WISH YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!!

    • Milantia Roy says:

      Tyler Underwood is the criminal
      whereas Senator Gardenhire, will be the prosecutor to dictate sentence
      – in my opinion you should apologize for your
      big ‘booboo’ …

  6. What words can be said to correct this crime of unfair justice and cruelty against these babies.If words could be said than these SOBs would already be in jail for dhat he did. This is beyond cruel with inhumane acts against these priceless fur babies of God’s. let’s put him in a sack and toss him off a building as bridge wouldn’t be high enough to seek revenge on this SOB.

  7. May all those who abuse, torture or needlessly kill animals suffer a slow horrible painful torturous death before they rot in hell !

  8. Susan Ecks says:

    OUR MURDERING CRIMINALS HAVE MORE RIGHTS THAN INNOCENT VICTIMS!!!! WE NEED CHANGES AND NEED TO CHANGE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO WILL UPHOLD THE LAW AND PROSECUTE REPEAT OFFENDERS AND HOLD THESE MONSTERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR CRIMES!!!! THESE INNOCENT ANIMALS DESERVE JUSTICE FOR THEIR CRUEL DEATH AND THIS SICK AND EVIL MONSTER WILL NOT STOP UNTIL HE IS LOCKED UP AND PUNISHED!!! KEEP THIS MONSTER AWAY FROM ALL ANIMALS!!!

    • Joanne Bradley says:

      Totally agree, the law is an ass. Justice for the innocent pups callously murdered at the hands of a repeat offender, and did anyone bother to find out where the pups mother is ? This psycho has been given a licence to kill and get off scot free. In the UK we do not have stray dogs roaming the streets we have rescue centres to care for them. This lowlife scumbag is a danger to all in society and needs to be locked up or hope karma catches up with him and he gets what he deserves.

  9. I think that it is so cruel to do that to these beautiful furbabies, who deserved to live a happy life as was intended for them. I do not know what is wrong with some people, absolutely sick beyond understanding. You know what they say KARMA IS A BITCH, and i hope that he will get his. R.I.P. little Puppies.

  10. Teresa Zamalloa says:

    Evil beast degenerate heartless criminal – too bad you did not have the same fate when you were born, so there would be one less criminal in this world

  11. Throw this useless piece of shit off a bridge

  12. Jackie Pflucker says:

    Tyler Underwood
    I would not want to be in your shoes when you die and you go to face the Eternal Judge!

  13. JUST WHAT THE ABSOLUTE HOLY FUCK IS WRONG WITH TENNESSEE??!?!?!! THIS MOTHERFUCKER DESERVES TO HAVE HIS NUTS STOMPED ON THEN YANKED OFF. I HOPE HE DIES HORRIBLY. PIECE OF FUCKING SHIT. I HATE HUMANS SO GODDAMN MUCH.

  14. Adrienne Kaiser says:

    It is so unfair to a case brought before a grand jury when it needs only 2 grand jury dissenters to keep it from moving forward!! What happened to a right to a fair trial in Tennessee?? Tennessee lawmakers need to address this problem and make it right!! In America, the majority should rule not the minority.

  15. Agree all comments throw this cunt over the bridge and hope he dies slow. Animal cruelty is unacceptable and should not be tolerated execute this fucker don’t want people in this world who do this.

  16. Torah Wolf says:

    Because the laws in that state go against the very grain of God and that’s the problem they’re all politically induced by your butt heads okay and as long as Biden is president you can sign a million petitions and he’s not going to bat an eye he could care less he’s prejudice against his own race of people he hates people he just hates everything especially animals so why would he care why would anybody in our government care about these poor animals.

    Our court systems are crooked our politicians are crooked so I don’t know I’m willing to sign the petitions but I don’t think anything good is going to come of it..

    My only consolation is I know that all these people they’re not going to get away with anything all of us are judged in the end we don’t live in these bodies forever.

  17. Taymans Daisy says:

    This is cruel ❗😥😥😥

  18. Christel blomqvist says:

    This person needs to be responsible for his actions!

  19. Shirley Lemieux says:

    This should put Women on high alert who are considering moving to a State like Tennessee. They clearly have a legal system consisting of “men looking out for men”. Male dominated legal system allowing male dominated criminals to be excused from prosecution. A system that allows men to commit violent crimes and even death against humans and animals without consequences. If some piece of shit can create a plan in his mind and then act on it to place newborn babies in a tote bin and throw them into a river to drown and then get away with it because that is Tennessee Law then all Women should rethink living there. If Tennessee Law can not protect the most innocent and vulnerable who have no voice then how are they going to protect Women from violent offenders if they are just letting criminals get away with it? The State of Tennessee creates Laws without Justice in mind.

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