Andrea Rosebrock 
Yet once again sentencing for Daniel Charles Haskett, 20, of Didsbury, Alberta, Canada, the man who admitted guilt to the torture death of his mother’s dog, has been postponed. This time due to his lawyer resigning from the case over “ethical and professional concerns.”
Daniel Haskett, 20, of Didsbury pleaded guilty last spring to one count of animal cruelty and one count of obstruction of justice for initially lying to police about his role in the death of Daisy Duke, a Lab-border-collie cross.
He originally was to be sentenced in August, but that was
delayed due to incomplete psychological tests and pre-sentencing reports.
His lawyer, Mark Takada, told provincial court yesterday that Haskett’s version of events to a psychologist “differed significantly” from the agreed statement of facts he signed back in May.
As a result, Takada withdrew from the case. He said outside the courthouse that he feared he may have been “a party to misleading the court” as to what happened.
“I’ve either misled the court unwittingly by signing the agreed statement of facts or I’d be misleading the court by saying that what he told (the psychologist) was correct. So that’s the problem it puts me in,” said Takada.
“Mr. Haskett’s never said he’s not guilty. It’s just the facts around his involvement in the case that are contentious at this point.”
Takada would not say specifically how Haskett’s version of events changed in the psychologist’s report.
But he said if more blame was being put upon Haskett’s 17-year-old friend and accomplice, who also pleaded guilty to one count of animal cruelty, “that would make a big difference in what the sentence would be.”
The 17-year-old was sentenced in May to three months of house arrest, two years of probation and 240 hours of community service.
An adult convicted of animal cruelty under the Criminal Code faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail and a $2,000 fine. Takada said he was planning to ask for a conditional sentence for Haskett – basically house arrest – before he read the psychologist’s report.
Haskett has until Nov. 5 to find a new lawyer. (Edmonton Sun)
We can only hope that poor Daisy will see justice soon and that it is more fitting then Haskett’s accomplice received! She received no mercy from them, her four legs bound together with duct tape, a bag covering her head and a tow rope tied around her neck to drag her. When she was found by passersby she was so gravely injured that a vet had to euthanize her at the scene immediately. Why should they be sentenced so leniently? What kind of a lesson are they learning?
This sorta thing makes me sick.. He should be treated the way he treated that poor dog…
[...] for Haskett, there have been delays on top of delays and now there’s yet another one! Daniel Charles Haskett has decided to change his plea from [...]
The SOB’S don’t deserve any leniency. May they rot in HELL!