Man on Trial for Selling Dog-Fighting Videos

Pittsburg, PA -- A man who mailed pit bull fight videotapes to government investigators is the first person to stand trial under a 1999 federal animal cruelty statute signed by President Clinton.

The lawyer for Robert Stevens, 61, of Pittsville, Va., doesn't dispute that Stevens sold the tapes, some of which he narrates.

Instead, federal public defender Michael Novaro said during Stevens' trial Tuesday that his client shouldn't be targeted because the intent of the law was to prevent "wanton cruelty to animals designed to appeal to a prurient interest in sex." Clinton signed the law after complaints about videos in which small animals were pictured being crushed under the feet of women wearing spiked heels.

Novaro said that sexual description doesn't apply to Stevens' fight montage videos and a video that shows pit bulls attacking hogs. Stevens is being tried in Pittsburgh because the tapes were purchased by the Pennsylvania State Police and U.S. Department of Agriculture agents.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kaufman argued that society has "a strong interest in the humane treatment and protection of animals, including dogs trained to fight other dogs and hogs."

But as the trial opened Tuesday before Senior U.S. District Judge Alan Bloch, Novaro argued that the videos have "historical" value because they depict "old-time dog fights." Novaro said such fights were more genteel than those held today, which he said involve "buckets of blood."

The law specifically exempts videos that have "religious, political, scientific, educational, journalistic, historical or artistic value."

Stevens faces up to 15 years in prison and $750,000 in fines if convicted. The trial was to continue Wednesday.

 

This is the Robert Stevens who wrote the book "Dogs of Velvet and Steel"

I found his book to be very informative and a good read.

If the videos were of "old" time fights that took place back when it was legal I dont see the problem.

 

i was woundering what was going on with bobs case. keep us posted marty
thanks

 

Get a life moron.

 

What is Z.o.g.???

 

I thought we were to be given free speech as was indicated in a little document known as The Constitution Of The United States. It was the way our forefathers meant things to be.

But then President Clinton saw fit to screw with the Constitution in order to catch those making films depicting the smashing torture of small animals under womens heels. So in typical political idiocy rather than simply bust those making these films for the animal abuse, they screw with our nations most sacred document.

Now the law is being used to bring down others who have/distribute films they deem wrong; ie historic matches between famous dogs, hog dog trials, and probably next hog hunting with dogs videos.

The time is now for things to be put back into the right direction. IMO

 

Nice Post Bro!

 

Here is the text of the entire code section that we are talking about (part (b) contains the exceptions):

Title 18, Section 48. Depiction of animal cruelty
(a) Creation, Sale, or Possession. - Whoever knowingly creates,sells, or possesses a depiction of animal cruelty with the intention of placing that depiction in interstate or foreign commerce for commercial gain, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.

(b) Exception. - Subsection (a) does not apply to any depictionthat has serious religious, political, scientific, educational, journalistic, historical, or artistic value.

(c) Definitions. - In this section -

(1) the term ''depiction of animal cruelty'' means any visualor auditory depiction, including any photograph, motion-picturefilm, video recording, electronic image, or sound recording ofconduct in which a living animal is intentionally maimed,mutilated, tortured, wounded, or killed, if such conduct is illegal under Federal law or the law of the State in which the creation, sale, or possession takes place, regardless of whether the maiming, mutilation, torture, wounding, or killing took placein the State; and

(2) the term ''State'' means each of the several States, theDistrict of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the VirginIslands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the NorthernMariana Islands, and any other commonwealth, territory, orpossession of the United States.

 

I understand the horror these 'bait' dogs must feel along with their precious owners when they find out their dog has been taken. I wouldn't want anything to happen to my dogs. I especially wouldn't want to be used as bait.

But one must understand, that judging a Pitbull just because it's a pitbull is simply wrong. There ARE responsible, caring owners out there who care deeply for their pits, who consider them family members, who keep their pits inside as a house dog. These dogs are couch potatoes. These dogs are not what the media has made them out to be.

Just here in Madisonville, 2... I repeat... 2 Chow Chow attacks occured a few months back. One victim was seen at the ER, the other victim was a small child whom by the grace of God, did not sustain any permanent damage.

Nothing was ever mentioned in the news. If it had been a Pitbull... I guarantee you it would have been splashed all over our local newspaper.

Pits definitely get the raw end of the deal, as my brother's dog did just this last Sunday, 1/8/2006. She was shot by his neighbor simply because she was a Pitbull. She was shot directly in her chest, leaving a 4-5" wound. The way she was shot she was probably sitting or standing there looking at the man who shot her. He actually had time to go inside his house, get his shotgun, come back outside, aim and kill her.

I AM FURIOUS!!!! My brother had just let her out of her kennel to feed her & let her get some exercise. He was outside with her. He turned his back, within seconds she was not in the yard. 10 minutes later he heard a gunshot but didn't realize Cheyenne was killed until 2 Sheriff's pulled into our driveway.

My entire family has lived on Stagecoach Rd for 36 years. Out of those 36 years, we have NEVER experienced such a horrific act of violence. So cruel! But some authority figures want to justify it because "it was a pitbull."

Is it right to shoot every Chow in Hopkins Co?Is it right to shoot every breed of dog that has bitten a human being? If that's the case, let's just wipe out the entire canine breed. Because from Pom Poms, Cocker Spaniels, Chow Chows to Great Danes (A dog I was bitten by when I was a child) and every dog in between. Because I promise you, somewhere in the past, most every breed of dog has bitten a human.

If it's any other breed, IT DOES NOT MAKE THE NEWS!!!! Everybody hears the bad stories about Pits. Nobody wants to hear the good these dogs bring. They are just dogs and not a spawn of satan. The one-teeth baring Pit you see on the news, is the image everyone has in their mind when you hear the Pitbull term.

Sorry I'm venting.

Moe's Momma
Stagecoach Rd
Hanson, KY

 

For the most part "bait" dog is a term falsely used by HS's and other AR wackos to describe any dog with a scar on it to deem it a "fighting animal" and thus increase state funding. They originated the term "bait dog" and there was no such practice until the media basically gave a step by step on what to do. When idiots wanting to look cool did it, they had their proof.

These dogs shouldnt be "couch potatoes" they are a working breed that needs to be worked strenuously daily.

I must say I grieve for your brothers dog for being unfairly killed, but he was being an irresponsible owner. Part of taking care of this breed is making sure you have them contained securely so they cannot get into this situation because there are idiots who take things to the extreme. The dog didnt deserve to die because your brother couldnt properly contain his animal. I know theres a chance if my dogs get off my property stray they may get shot or run over. This is the reason I use chains and fences, and keep an eye on them all the time!

Welcome to the site.

As for this original topic, Bob Stevens is 61 year old man for petes sake. I may and/or may not of seen the videos in question. They were not what the media is making them out to be (I believe).

 

"Sorry I'm venting."

IMO, no need to be sorry. At one time or another, we, I'm sure, ALL feel the frustration, especially those that are directly dealing with BSL. It REALLY does bite the big one=all the crap that this breed receives.
My wording is, "own one, and understand".....
in the mean time, as owners, we have to keep level headed, and continue to educate the misinformed....

“In Germany they came first for the communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time no one was left to speak up.” ​

Martin Niemoeller
(1892-1984)
​

in "dog sense", I have seen this written this way,

"First they came for the rottweilers, and I didn't speak up, because I didn't own a rottweiler.
Then, they came for the german shepards. But I didn't speak up, because I didn't own a german shepard.
Then they came for the dobermans, but, still, I didn't speak up, because I didn't own a doberman.
Now, they've come for the APBT, yet, there are none left to defend, or stand up for", .....

 

Nothing more to say.

 

freedom of speech is not protected in a situation like this,,there are 3 parts to "freedom of speech" 1. you must have a reason an "aim" to be saying what your saying 2. it must be legitimate 3. it must be factual,,,otherwise child porn could be construed as freedom of speech.