Target: Nathan Hochman, Los Angeles County District Attorney, California
Goal: Pursue the toughest lawful sentence, a lifetime animal-ownership ban, restitution, and mandated counseling for the suspect reportedly filmed slamming a turtle to the ground until it died.
Reports indicate a turtle was pulled from its water habitat at a shopping center and violently slammed onto the floor. Surveillance video reportedly captured the assault, and responders said the animal did not survive despite emergency care. Security staff who had previously observed a man disturbing turtles purportedly identified the same individual, and deputies arrested a 34-year-old suspect who allegedly acted erratically and resisted.
According to local reporting, the footage shows repeated blunt-force impacts after the turtle was removed from the enclosure. Such conduct, if proven, reflects deliberate cruelty that causes catastrophic internal injury and a prolonged, painful death for a slow-moving, defenseless animal. Authorities booked the suspect on animal-cruelty charges, and the investigation continues.
Accountability must match the harm. A strong outcome deters copycats and protects other animals in public places. Prosecutors can seek incarceration, an enforceable lifetime prohibition on owning or controlling animals, court-ordered counseling, and restitution for veterinary costs. This petition urges vigorous prosecution and sentencing advocacy that recognizes the severity of the alleged violence and keeps the public safe.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear District Attorney Hochman,
We urge your office to seek the strongest appropriate penalties in the case where surveillance video reportedly shows a man removing a turtle from its aquatic environment and repeatedly slamming the animal to the ground, resulting in its death. Security personnel allegedly identified the individual based on prior disturbances, and deputies arrested a 34-year-old suspect after a brief struggle.
If the evidence supports these allegations, we ask you to advocate for a sentence that includes incarceration, a lifetime prohibition on owning or controlling animals, restitution for emergency care, and mandated counseling. The described conduct involves deliberate blunt-force trauma against a defenseless animal and warrants a response that protects the community and deters future acts.
A decisive, well-publicized outcome would affirm that Los Angeles County treats reported animal cruelty with utmost seriousness. Thank you for prioritizing cases where vulnerable beings cannot speak for themselves.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo credit: Feyzullah Kilincarslan
