OH - Dorothy Richardson for beating fawn to death, Euclid, 2009

[nomad]

The adorable, sweet, cute, etc. traits God provided for helpless and defenseless babies is supposed to serve as a defense. Their only defense,
IMO, this lady is a mean, cold woman.

 

[Kymistry35]

I am still mad about this even though I read about it days ago. Last week we hit a deer and the first thing I did was jump out the car to make sure she wasn't dead,lol. Luckily for us and her, we were only doing 30 and she was able to jump up and run away. I just can't imagine ANYONE being scared of a fawn.

 

[Bee Happy]

This actually happened in my city (Cleveland Ohio area) and we are overrun with TONS of dear. I want a garden and flowers so bad, but I know better. They are often hit in the street or even on front porches/stairs. I came home one night and was frightened by a deer in an enclosed area of my yard. The most I would do is run the opposite way.

Here is one I caught in my yard the other day: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35225077&l=dbdb8b810d&id=30116311
She was eating leaves and drinking water from a bucket my kids left out. We have a gate, but they jump over it.

HOWEVER, I can't imagine beating ANYTHING to death!!

 

[Paintr]

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i0i7CR4tIada_mK1dUEnmDXuAuKgD99AGONO0

Richardson hasn't appeared in court. She tells Cleveland's WKYC-TV she was afraid of the fawn and used a shovel to try to make it move. She says after it died she put it in a box and took it to the curb on trash day.

 

[oh_gal]

My point was that in this woman's lifetime, it has not been considered out of place to kill an animal that impinges on human territory -- even an animal that is sweet-looking and small. This woman and her husband probably worked hard and sacrificed to own a nice house and have a yard and garden, even more than most considering the racial, social, and financial obstacles they must have faced during their lives. Now she is old (though strong!) and probably, judging from her interview, somewhat impaired and paranoid. Her neighbors should help to to keep the deer out of the yard, since they seem to frighten/anger her so much.

Not to be argumentative, but in this old woman's lifetime, it was also not considered out of place to have a grandparent (or great grandparent) who was a victim of slavery (she is African American). (Note, I didn't say it was acceptable, only that it was not "out of place"). Just because something was commonplace, doesn't make it right.

I sure wouldn't want her for my neighbor. She's a nut.

 

[southcitymom]

Not to take away from the injustice of this little dear's demise, BUT this topic reminds me of one of the funniest threads I have ever read on Websleuths: http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58702&highlight=trap+deer

 

[Nova]

Well, I don't either! For one thing, when I'm out in my yard I don't have a shovel handy. I might toss my drink at it and run, though.

The little old lady is lucky she wasn't attacked by the fawn's mother. The fawns around here are always accompanied.

I don't know about you, but we don't waste our drinks on the wildlife! Not with the weather so hot and the economy so grim.

 

[Nova]

I honestly do not think this lady was afraid of the fawn. Maybe the adults moved too fast for her to hit them with the shovel. She doesn't seem very timid to me.

However I do not think that any charges ( or at least only light charges) will be brought against her. For every person who thinks this is a cruel senseless act deliberately done in anger, there will be one person who believes this elderly widow woman was defending herself against a marauding wild animal.

Perhaps Ms. Richardson could be sentenced to watch repeated showings of Bambi, with her eyes propped open, A Clockwork Orange style.

Art is so educational!

 

[Openmind]

Not to take away from the injustice of this little dear's demise, BUT this topic reminds me of one of the funniest threads I have ever read on Websleuths: http://websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58702&highlight=trap+deer

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]I was a little nervous when I started reading the article that some stooge was going to actually trap and shoot a deer, but it turned out OK. I also laughed at the video of the hunter getting his bu** kicked -- literally -- by the buck.[/FONT][FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]
[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Deer have a tranquil quality but they are tougher then they look, and not nearly as timid as they appear. We have a feeder on our property and they come every morning and evening to feed. We watch from the porch and they can get real snarky if the feeder goes dry.[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]

 

[STEADFAST]

Not to be argumentative, but in this old woman's lifetime, it was also not considered out of place to have a grandparent (or great grandparent) who was a victim of slavery (she is African American). (Note, I didn't say it was acceptable, only that it was not "out of place"). Just because something was commonplace, doesn't make it right.

I sure wouldn't want her for my neighbor. She's a nut.

I doubt if her family considered slavery to be "right" at any time. Many people didn't consider slavery to be okay. But, if you go back not even that far, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that would think it wrong to kill an animal eating things in your garden.

My great grandmother would casually walk out into the yard, grab a chicken and wring its neck right in front of us. My father once beat a mole to death with a shovel. Up until just a few years ago, killing household vermin by a neck-breaking trap was routine (maybe it still is.)
Even today, paying someone to come out to your house and poison thousands of insects is not going to garner any headlines.

Don't know how I've ended up being this woman's defender, since, if my husband, say, beat a fawn to death, I would divorce him, get a restraining order and start commital proceedings. There's just something about an old lady all alone trying to hold it together that tugs at my heartstrings.

 

[oh_gal]

I doubt if her family considered slavery to be "right" at any time. Many people didn't consider slavery to be okay. But, if you go back not even that far, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that would think it wrong to kill an animal eating things in your garden.

My great grandmother would casually walk out into the yard, grab a chicken and wring its neck right in front of us. My father once beat a mole to death with a shovel. Up until just a few years ago, killing household vermin by a neck-breaking trap was routine (maybe it still is.)
Even today, paying someone to come out to your house and poison thousands of insects is not going to garner any headlines.

Don't know how I've ended up being this woman's defender, since, if my husband, say, beat a fawn to death, I would divorce him, get a restraining order and start commital proceedings. There's just something about an old lady all alone trying to hold it together that tugs at my heartstrings.

Well, I guess you'll just have to wear the "hat" (of defender-of-elderly-animal-killing-little-old-ladies-everywhere). (Glad it's you, and not me!)

I didn't think the fawn was eating her flowers...but I guess it depends on which of her stories you hear.

I think she'd just had enough.

 

[WhyaDuck?]

I doubt if her family considered slavery to be "right" at any time. Many people didn't consider slavery to be okay. But, if you go back not even that far, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone that would think it wrong to kill an animal eating things in your garden.

My great grandmother would casually walk out into the yard, grab a chicken and wring its neck right in front of us. My father once beat a mole to death with a shovel. Up until just a few years ago, killing household vermin by a neck-breaking trap was routine (maybe it still is.)
Even today, paying someone to come out to your house and poison thousands of insects is not going to garner any headlines.

Don't know how I've ended up being this woman's defender, since, if my husband, say, beat a fawn to death, I would divorce him, get a restraining order and start commital proceedings. There's just something about an old lady all alone trying to hold it together that tugs at my heartstrings.

Oh man - nothing about this old battle-axe tugs at my heartstrings. I guess you are softer than me.

Flowers = not worth killing for.

Also, a non-forum friend made the greatest statement about this case last night: "This is horrible, because, flowers, by their nature, would likely weep and weep over what was done in their name."

That can be applied to so very many things.

 

[STEADFAST]

Oh man - nothing about this old battle-axe tugs at my heartstrings. I guess you are softer than me.

Flowers = not worth killing for.

Maybe it's because I'm a confused old lady myself.

 

[OrdinaryLife]

Perhaps I've become a bit jaded lately (too be fair), but there is nothing about this woman that gives me the fuzzies, pun unintended. To a total fault, I *love* children and I *love* the elderly. But, this woman, no so much. There is a time for understanding and forgiving of the mindset of many, truth be told. However, any person that can commit such an ugly beating of a fawn (this was a 25 pound, 2 foot tall baby) has some serious issues. This is not about cuteness or eating of plants. This is about a person literally beating an animal to death. What kind of person does this? One who has a dark side. Worse, thought it was justified.

No sympathy from me. I have so many critters around me that I've lost count. And, I would never waste a drink tossing it at them. Priorities!

I do not mean this woman harm, but I do think it shows the person that she is. Gawd help me if I *ever* get that way. I'd rather take a shovel to myself than even consider hurting anything that can breathe...

 

[southcitymom]

Maybe it's because I'm a confused old lady myself.

Somehow, I doubt this......:blowkiss:

 

[Paintr]

http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=79632

Euclid Law Director Chris Frey has been contacted by people across the country calling for the case to be prosecuted to the maximum. He plans to present the judge with both first- and second-degree misdemeanors to give him/her sentencing options.

http://www.cleveland.com/morris/index.ssf/2009/07/_case_of_dorothy_richardson.html

Case of Dorothy Richardson, accused of killing fawn, needs some perspective: Phillip Morris

 

[Paintr]

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/cuyahoga/1247301319184210.xml&coll=2

Dorothy Richardson, 75, was released on $1,000 bond and must appear at 9 a.m. on July 30 in the Euclid Municipal Court to be arraigned.

.......

The city's animal cruelty charge is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. The state charge is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine

 

[Nova]

Maybe it's because I'm a confused old lady myself.

No evidence of that in this thread, Stead!

But if you're concerned, by all means tell your husband to hide the shovel...

 

[Hopeful One]

What a nut. Who could do such a thing??????

 

[Paintr]

http://blog.cleveland.com/euclidsunjournal/2009/07/accused_euclid_fawnkiller_goes.html

Dorothy Richardson, the Waynoka Road woman accused of beating a fawn to death with a shovel, has a court date.

After a warrant was issued for her arrest, Richardson, 75, turned herself in to Euclid police on Friday. She posted bond and was released the same day.

She will face two charges of animal cruelty at her court appearance, set for 9 a.m. July 30 before Euclid Municipal Court Judge Deborah LeBarron.