David Clark Elliot and Frederick Martin, IV

Tied a dog to a tree with a chain, cut her to pieces with a weed whacker

Lakeland, FL

Aug. 14, 1997

At age 11 David, and Frederick, age 13 tied Zoey, a neighbor's dog to a tree with a chain around her neck and cut her to pieces with a weed whacker.

The Florida State Attorney, Jerry Hill is in charge of the case.

Eliot pled no contest to reduce the charges to misdemeanor animal cruelty in September 1997.

Martin went to court expecting to testify how his 11-year-old friend forced him to mutilate a neighbor’s small dog with a weed whacker.  Instead Martin found himself squirming from discovery that Martin had a history of animal cruelty charges in New Hampshire. (See casefile Stabbed sheep & slashed 4 pigs)

Each boy faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in a juvenile facility.

High-profile defense attorney Jack Edmund represented Martin, IV for free after the case against his co-defendant (David Clark Eliot) was reduced to misdemeanor charges in exchange for no-contest pleas (September 1997)

Martin spent time in the Polk County Juvenile Facility.

Reference:

The Boston Globe

The Tampa Tribune