GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., June 3 (UPI) -- Michigan prosecutors have offered a young ex-Marine a deal -- admit killing a pregnant cow and say his mother put him up to it and the charges will be dropped. Dustin Bender, 23, appeared in Kent County District Court Wednesday when he waived a probable cause hearing, leaving the matter open, The Grand Rapids Press reported. Prosecutors say Bender's mother Catherine, 39, wanted to kill the cow belonging to Geri and Thomas Young to intimidate Thomas Young from testifying against her live-in boyfriend. Timothy Young, Thomas's brother, faces a criminal sexual conduct charge. Thomas Young, who was in court Tuesday for a hearing, said he believes Catherine Bender pushed for the cow's death, even if it was her son who actually pulled the trigger. He said he does not believe Dustin Bender and other young people involved should be punished and that Dustin's honorable service in Iraq in the Marines should be held in his favor. "We were all 19, and we all did dumb things," he said. Dustin Bender and his mother face related charges in Ottawa County, where prosecutors have not yet signed on to any deal.
Really this has been blown out of proportion. Its a cow eventually it would have ended up in the slaughter house...and killed. Did they commit a crime sure, Is it really a felony, um no i dont think so. I hate how people equate a fraking animal's life to a humans. It is an Animal that gets killed for food to feed humans. Tell me how shooting it with a .45 caliber handgun is any different or worse than Using an Air powered drive hammer to do it?
ReplyDeleteOKAY, TELL ME WHY A PREGNANT COW HAS TO GO TO A SLAUGHTER HOUSE?? OH.., I HAVE NO PROBLEM IF THE DEMISE IS IMMINENT, BUT AT LEAST LET THIS COW MILK HER YOUNG FOR AT LEAST 2-3 WEEKS.
ReplyDeleteThis group is way to "not smart" to believe they were doing it for "witness intimidation".
ReplyDeleteThey are just dumb enough to sit around drinking and think this would be sweet. They knew it was not going to intimidate this crusty old farmer. It was just a FU to him.
So not really intimidation but it looks like it, so put the whole family in the same cell, or send some other Hillbilly in and feed the whole group some Kool-Aid.