State-Journal.com - Man who shot and killed neighbor's dog enters guilty plea to lesser charges

Photo By Kelly MackeySamuel Richard Payne reached a plea agreement in Franklin County Circuit Court in Friday for charges he shot and killed his neighbor's dog. Defense attorney Clay Wilkey stands by his side in this photo taken in July.

The Frankfort man charged with killing his neighbor's dog during a burglary in June 2008 pleaded guilty to lesser charges in Franklin Circuit Court Friday.

Samuel Richard Payne, 25, 246 Hickory Drive, killed Chloe, a German Shepherd-Chow mix that belonged to his neighbor, Sandra Ferrell.

Payne also stole a laptop from her house while Ferrell was at work at Kentucky State University.

Payne told police at the time of his arrest he stole the computer and heard the dog barking.

He went back to his house next door, grabbed a handgun, returned and shot the dog while stealing jewelry, prosecutors said.

Ferrell returned home to eat lunch to find Chloe in the kitchen in a pool of blood.

In a plea agreement reached by attorneys, Payne admitted to second-degree burglary and animal cruelty charges.

As part of the deal, prosecutors will recommend a 15-year sentence and oppose probation.

The deal amends a separate first-degree burglary charge Payne faced in the matter for re-entering the house with a gun to a second-degree offense.

Franklin County Animal Control officer Todd Moore said at the time of the burglary investigation he had never before seen a dog killed during a burglary.

The law treats pets as personal property, but to many, animals are more.

"To this person, it's almost like having a family member shot," Moore said.

7.	Posted by pinpointers January 26, 2009
	and you get 20 for robbing a bank.... Lets see. Selling crack on Murry.......3 weeks Selling crack and shooting someone...6 months Killing a person.............10 Killing a dog................15 Robbing a bank...............20 Cussing a police officer.....25 Peeing on a patrol car tire..30 doing 35 in a 25.............35 running a red light..........40 Cussing larry cleveland......45 Playing music to loud at the Dragon....life of harrasment by cleveland and cops.

5.	Posted by gailgail January 25, 2009
	I am sorry that McClellon only received 10 yrs BUT this is Frankfort and we should be grateful whenever anyone who commits a crime IS punished.Too often only probation with time served is the punishment. I am very glad this guy is getting 15 years. Apparently he went into this house twice, the second time with a gun. He deserves his sentence. My sympathy is with the victim, not this man. And the judge who sentences McClellon is the one who should Not be able to sleep at night.

4.	Posted by frankfortgal85 January 25, 2009
	He should get the same jail sentence as he would if he shot a person. Maybe that will get people in not only Franklin County, but also Kentucky to stop abusing animals here in our state. I believe the reason why his jail sentence was lengthened is because he went back with a gun, so he was charged with multiple felonies that added up to 15 years. My dogs are my children. If someone hurt them I cannot imagine the pain of what I would go through. It is sad because my family owns property on the street this happened on and I would not live there because of this. It is horrifying that people treat animals like property and get away with it. I can't even look at his face because it makes me sick to think about. -HORRIBLE!

1.	Posted by justbeinghonest January 25, 2009
	Let's see . . . McClellon gets 10 years for a burglary where he killed a young man. This guy gets 15 for a burglary where he killed a dog. I by no means want to diminish the loss of this woman. I certainly understand that the loss of an animal is painful. BUT . . . apparently in Frankfort your betting off killing a person than a dog. I understand that each defendant is different and might have different criminal histories and the like, but these two stories (within a couple of days of each other) are very hard to reconcile.