Threats Made Against Judge in Puppy Torture Case

The Sheriff’s Office provided extra protection for Judge Brian Hill at the courthouse and at his home in response to more than one threat made against him and his family in connection with the sentence he imposed in a recent dog-torture case. Hill sentenced Duanying Chen to one year in jail after Chen admitted to torturing a puppy to the point it had to be euthanized. Chen faced a maximum of seven years and six months in prison; Hill imposed a longer sentence than the 120 days in jail recommended by a probation report. On 7/19, dozens of animal activists gathered at the County Courthouse then marched down State Street to protest the one-year term and to push for stricter penalties against animal abusers.