Maximum Penalty for WV Animal Abuser

To Judge King:

In March of 2005, Mark Starcher was arrested for the torture of a defenseless dog (case no. 05 F 622).  The dog was found taped to the steering wheel of an abandoned SUV with patches of skin torn off and bone exposed, indicating that it had been dragged behind a vehicle.  Additionally, the dog had been stabbed in the back of the skull, possibly with a screwdriver.  Officers of the Kanawha-Charleston Humane Society believe the dog was alive when it was tortured this way, as indicated by its swollen paws.  Such a depraved incident of torture is unlikely to be isolated, and it is additionally unlikely that Mark Starcher will not move on to abusing people.  We the undersigned are requesting that the maximum penalty allowed under the law is applied to this case, including three years in prison, $5000 in fines, and psychiatric evaluation.