Jury rules against trooper who shot family's dog

It wasn't the judgment James Smoak envisioned on his 44th birthday on Wednesday.

[rdd]

Good for the Smoaks.

[Knox Girl]

I am so glad to see this verdict. Although, I don't think $9k is going to be enough to pay for the therapy these children will need after witnessing such an event.

[Seymour Resident]

Using excessive force is a reason for POST to review this officer for certification. I saw the video, every officer involved should be de-certified.

[Jerry]

Was the officer fired? How about some more info'????

[Carla]

Ok, how ridiculous is this? They get $9K from the court for excessive force, but they settled with the city for $77K over the death of the dog?!

[Gives me muney]

Sheesh! I'll sell my dog for $77k. Heck I'll even throw in a lifetime supply of food. Any takers?

[non]

So they were pulled over for no reason, the man was beat up, and the family dog was killed. And people wonder why no one respects the law?

[Jerry in Dandridge]

I fully support our THP. But there are many times they can have to much testoserone flowing and think everyone is guilty until proven otherwise. To kill a familys pet while the family was traveling togather is unbeleivable.

[Get Real]

It amazes me how putting on a uniform and attaching a gun to their belt puts them on an extreme ego trip, like it gives them authority to play God, determining who lives and who doesn't.

[tbird]

Just tells you the law officers they have now consider you guilty until you are proven innocent. Can't trust the law anymore.

[Telling It Like It Is]

I would not sell my dogs for $77,000 each. They are members of my family. It is disgusting to me that this man only gets $9,000. I hope they left out the part about his medical expenses being paid.

[that a boy]

They should have been given more and tropper fired.

[that a boy]

Jerry wrote:

Was the officer fired? How about some more info'????

It looks like a slap on the wrist for the tropper.

[Moe]

Quit crying. It is a two dollar dog and they are never going to quit making them. If the dog is aggressive shoot it. Quit tying our law enforcements hands.

Do tazers work on dogs?

"Don't taze me bro!" (in a scoobie doo voice)

[JIM]

Thats one trooper we do not need on the roads nor representing all the other fine THP personel that are doing theirs jobs. Its sad it took justice this long to be served.

[Cray007]

I agree that as a whole it looks bad. But, looking at the situation in segments changes things. As I remember, the family was stopped for being suspected as having been involved in a robbery. How is that bad. If you are an officer, are you going to handcuff robbery suspects. I would. You can always unhandcuff someone later. You cant get yourself un-shot or un-killed. Then, as I recall, the dog was a PIT Bull Dog mix. Bad rap or not, Pit Bull Dogs can and will hurt or kill you. Remember the woman killed in the trailer by Bull Dogs in Knoxville recently. The dog was circling around and comming toward the officer. If the officer was in fear, I believe the officer was justified. We can't ask our public servants to be bitten before acting, nor can we ask them to get shot before acting. If you are handcuffed and told to sit on the ground, SIT on the ground. If you get up, expect to get reminded. We ask these men and women to do so much for so little. We as a society are so quick to criticize. I believe it is because they are the first line of authority. Not everone likes authority. But its the same men and women you call when you need help with your pathetic situation.

[praying]

Moe wrote:

Quit crying. It is a two dollar dog and they are never going to quit making them. If the dog is aggressive shoot it. Quit tying our law enforcements hands.
Do tazers work on dogs?
"Don't taze me bro!" (in a scoobie doo voice)

Read the article again. It said the dog owner ask the officer not to let his dog out of the vehicle.
How is the dog to know its an officer of the law and not somebody trying to kill his family. Like the mother said it's not about the money it's the principal

[Dave]

$9,100 awarded? Geez, I would have awarded the dog's owner $91 million in punitive damages. This was an outright autrocity and if I recall correctly, the guys kids saw it all happen.

[Knox Girl]

Cray007 wrote:

I agree that as a whole it looks bad. But, looking at the situation in segments changes things. As I remember, the family was stopped for being suspected as having been involved in a robbery. How is that bad. If you are an officer, are you going to handcuff robbery suspects. I would. You can always unhandcuff someone later. You cant get yourself un-shot or un-killed. Then, as I recall, the dog was a PIT Bull Dog mix. Bad rap or not, Pit Bull Dogs can and will hurt or kill you. Remember the woman killed in the trailer by Bull Dogs in Knoxville recently. The dog was circling around and comming toward the officer. If the officer was in fear, I believe the officer was justified. We can't ask our public servants to be bitten before acting, nor can we ask them to get shot before acting. If you are handcuffed and told to sit on the ground, SIT on the ground. If you get up, expect to get reminded. We ask these men and women to do so much for so little. We as a society are so quick to criticize. I believe it is because they are the first line of authority. Not everone likes authority. But its the same men and women you call when you need help with your pathetic situation.

You need to see the video again. The dog was NOT aggressive in any way. This was a SICK individual that would act so carelessly. The children were in the car screaming.

Ridiculous!

[sampson]

the trooper should have been fired and never be allowed to have a gun ,sense he dont know how to act-a women can sue hardees and get large amounts of money because she burned her mouth,but this family gets only 77thousand,wheres the justice in that