Chandler officer found not guilty of animal cruelty charges
Sgt. Tom Lovejoy, of the Mesa Police Department, was found not guilty Friday of misdemeanor animal-cruelty charges.
After testimony from investigators, an assistant police chief, experts and Lovejoy himself, Judge Samuel Goodman ruled in the one-day bench trial in San Tan Justice Court that the Chandler officer was not reckless in the Aug. 11, 2007, death of Bandit, his Belgian Malinois police dog.
After a working several shifts in the two days leading up to the event, Lovejoy forgot the dog in the back of his patrol SUV after he returned home at 9 a.m. that day.
He then began a day dealing with a variety of personal issues.
He discovered the dog dead in the car at 10 that night.
Judge Goodman said Lovejoy was negligent in the death of Bandit, but that prosecutors failed to prove recklessness, a requirement on the cruelty charge.
Goodman told Lovejoy he would expect that an officer would think of his partner during the 12-hour time period, but "you forgot; you admitted that." Lovejoy, who had been silent for nearly a year on advice of his attorneys, finally told his side of the story Friday.
"I was just too tired," he said during testimony, describing his mental state after getting only 6 1/2 hours of sleep in the 51 hours leading up to Bandit's death. "My mind wasn't working."
The year that followed included an internal investigation that resulted in a two-day suspension; Lovejoy's removal from the K-9 unit; a Maricopa County Sheriff's Office inquiry; and public outrage.
Following the verdict, both Lovejoy and his wife said they were ready to put the turmoil behind them. "It's over," Carolynn Lovejoy said. "It's freaking over. I can't believe it." After hugging dozens of fellow officers and family members who had packed the courtroom, Tom Lovejoy exhaled and said, "I'm elated."
About 35 Chandler police officers were in the courtroom to watch the proceedings. Lovejoy said the case brought against him was politically motivated, calling out Sheriff Joe Arpaio, whose agency opened the criminal investigation, and County Attorney Andrew Thomas after the trial.
The assistant county attorney who was prosecuting the case, Lisa Aubuchon, walked briskly out of the courtroom immediately after the verdict, telling reporters she had no comment. Later, Special Assistant County Attorney Barnett Lotstein said the office was disappointed with the verdict.
