Felony Friday: NFL Player Could Face Felony Charges For Taunting Police Dog
In a bizarre story that broke this week, an Oakland Raiders football player is reportedly under investigation in Pennsylvania by the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office for allegedly “taunting” a police dog prior to kickoff of the Steelers vs. Raiders game last Sunday.In Pennsylvania the taunting of a police dog is a third-degree felony with a maximum punishment of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.That's a bit steep for a "crime" where nobody is harmed, wouldn't you say?During his pre-game pump-up time, Ray-Ray Armstrong, pulled up his shirt, pounded his chest and barked at the dog right before he ran onto the field. Police Chief Kevin Kraus claims the player also told a female K-9 deputy to release the dog.This type of behavior would undoubtedly raise some eyebrows in everyday society. However, in the buildup to a football game, where a player can easily get lost in the raw emotions of the moment, barbaric displays of aggression are not nearly as shocking.The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports:
The encounter occurred in a corridor between the locker room and field, as the Raiders were getting ready to take the field, he said.“Legally, he could have been arrested on the spot,” Chief Deputy Kraus said. “We believed that there was sufficient probable cause to make an arrest.”Rather, the deputy identified the player and contacted a supervisor working at Heinz Field, initiating a criminal investigation. Surveillance video captured part of the encounter, and witnesses also spoke with police.Chief Deputy Kraus said the handler was not harassed, but that the player directed his attention to the police dog. She and her bomb-sniffing dog were at the field Sunday inspecting items such as vehicles, packages and bags for explosives, as part of an off-duty service the sheriff’s office provides, Chief Deputy Kraus said.
An aspect of this story that is getting glossed over by the media is the preferential treatment the Raiders’ player received after committing a “crime” that was witnessed by several law enforcement officers. If a similar incident had occurred in the parking lot with a drunk fan barking at a police dog, you better believe the fan wouldn’t have enjoyed the lenient treatment that Mr. Armstrong was given.My criticism of the inconsistent nature of the enforcement of this particular law should not be misinterpreted to mean that this law would be moral if only it was enforced equally. I only bring up the preferential treatment this NFL player received to point out another layer of tyranny rampant in a broken system. The "principles" the law is based upon are garbage, regardless of how the law is enforced. So let's get to analyzing the root problem with the law: laws that codify preferential treatment for certain individuals, or animals in this case.In previous installments of Felony Friday I’ve discussed laws that place authorities or police officers on a pedestal above the rest of society. Just last month I examined legislation in Wisconsin that would have made it a felony to spit on a prosecutor. Of course, the law that Mr. Armstrong allegedly broke is a bit different, because it was put place to protect police dogs specifically. So it is not a human being that this law places on a pedestal, rather an animal.Proponents for this law would argue that it helps to keep police dogs safe and makes it easier for them to do their job. The problem with individuals who think this way, is that they might actually believe that police dogs should be held on a level above many in society. However, in a more free society, individuals would be held to the same standard, regardless of their "level" in society, and certainly laws would not exist that place animals above human beings.But until we progress to a point where the populous grasps this idea I'd advise our readers to not bark at a police dog, especially in Pennsylvania. The last thing you want is a felony on your record for "taunting" Fido.Check out the full archive of Felony Friday!The Lions of Liberty are on Twitter, Facebook & Google+Check out our YouTube Channel!Receive access to ALL of our EXCLUSIVE bonus audio content – including “Conspiracy Corner”, “Degenerate Gamblers” and the “League of Liberty Podcast” by joining the Lions of Liberty Pride and supporting us on Patreon!Join our Facebook Group: The Lions of Liberty Forum
