Virginia man convicted for mailing pit bull fight videos

Scranton, PA -- A Virginia man is the first to be convicted at trial for mailing pit bull fight videotapes to government investigators under a 1999 federal animal cruelty statute signed by President Clinton.
A jury deliberated just 45 minutes today before convicting 64-year-old Robert Stevens of three counts of selling depictions of animal cruelty in Pittsburgh. Stevens was prosecuted in Pennsylvania, because he sold the tapes to Pennsylvania State Police.

Stevens' attorney didn't contest that he sold the videos -- but instead says Stevens was unfairly targeted by the law. It was passed five years ago after the Clinton Justice Department became concerned about foot fetish videos in which high-heeled women crushed small animals under their feet.

But a judge rejected Stevens' argument that the tapes had to be sexual in nature to be illegal and allowed the prosecution to continue.

Stevens faces up to 15 years in prison when he's sentenced April 21st.

 

I like the way they made it a point to say "pit bull fight videotapes" instead of dogfighting videos. I wonder if that Was the title or thats just how the media worded it?