Macon – A Macon man who brutally killed a puppy in 2015 was sentenced Monday to three years in prison followed by two years on probation.
Derrick Dewayne Chappell Jr., 25, pleaded guilty to aggravated cruelty to animals during a hearing in Bibb County Superior Court. Chappell, who was sentenced as a first offender, is barred from having contact with animals while serving his sentence.
If the case had gone to trial, prosecutor Cara Fiore would have presented evidence showing:
A neighbor called 911 on June 3, 2015, after hearing a loud boom and arguing at the Florence Avenue home where Chappell lived with his aunt. The neighbor reported seeing Chappell throw a 10-week-old puppy outside and stab it numerous times.
Chappell had become angry when his aunt, the dog’s owner, had asked him to clean up after the dog. He threw the puppy against the wall inside, before throwing it outside.
A veterinarian who examined the dog after its death determined the puppy died of blunt force trauma to the face and head that included every bone in its skull being fractured.
Speaking after the hearing, Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney David Cooke said, “While prison sentences are rare in animal cruelty cases, Mr. Chappell earned every day he’ll spend behind bars when he assaulted this defenseless puppy. His sentence includes two years of probation supervision after his release, ensuring even harsher punishment if he harms another animal.”
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Contact: Amy Leigh Womack
478-621-6179 (office)
478-319-2529 (cell)
