NAYSA - Cross-post from Fugly Blog

(by Cathy Atkinson, The Fugly Blog) Cross-posted by request.

UPDATE

It’s all over. Tony Meyers (wisely) caved in, started bawling and admitted he was guilty as sin. There will be no trial.

He was sentenced to three years at hard labor, sentence probated (i.e. he’s on probation and they’re not locking him up – BOO, HISS!), may not be around horses for three years in that Parish or anywhere until he completes a psychological examination and whatever else they assign him, plus pays all court costs and a $50 per month probation fee.

I’m not thrilled, to say the least. But I’m not surprised he knew better than to let that trial proceed. At least he is a felon now, and that will follow him the rest of his life.



I’m going to be a broken record on this until after tomorrow. I am asking you please to cross-post this, to e-mail it to your friends, to share it on every horse message board you participate on. If you’ve ever forwarded a chain letter or a joke, well, this is something that is actually really important and I’m just asking you to do the same thing and make a brief phone call or send a short e-mail.

You all know the story of Naysa by now, or if you don’t, here is her page and it has a link to her video. The main page pictures are recent and happy, but I would not recommend the video for anyone under 18 or who does not have a strong stomach. It will make you cry. To make a long story short, Naysa was purchased at auction by a scummy horse dealer type named Tony Meyers for $37. When she would not load into a horse trailer (smart mare, probably had a premonition like she was getting into Ted Bundy’s van), Tony attacked her with a level of violence that is almost impossible to comprehend. He beat her in the face, wrapped barbed wire around the halter to try to drag her into the trailer, finally did drag her behind the trailer, backed the trailer over her and then shot her in the head.

You don’t need to tell me what you think he deserves. We probably agree on that, but we’re not going to get our wish. What we can get is a guilty verdict and a stiff sentence but we’re unlikely to get those things unless the media picks up on this case and shines their light on it. Tony Meyers needs to go to jail, and here is how you can help make that happen:

WBRZ is the local Baton Rouge ABC Affiliate: 225-336-2344
WAFB is the local Baton Rouge CBS Affiliate: 225-383-9999
or e-mail news@wafb.com

You can also try the national media.
CNN: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/tips/newstips.html
FOX: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html
E-mail Geraldo! Can’t hurt! Might help!

Keep it short and informative. If you need a script for calling, here you go: Hi, I’m calling to see if you know about and will be covering a Louisiana trial that has caught national attention. Three years ago, a man named Tony Meyers commenced a violent attack upon a horse at a horse auction. The horse nearly died after he dragged her from his trailer with a barbed wire-wrapped halter, ran her over and shot her. She survived but it has taken almost three years for his case to come to trial and it’s going to be heard starting on Tuesday at the St. Martinsville Court. The case number is 07-00009229. Jerry Finch of Habitat for Horses will be there testifying so you can talk to him about the horse’s rehab and her life today.


Three years have passed, but this horrifically violent act cannot be shrugged off. Heck, even if you hate me and hate this blog, if you have and love horses, we are on the same side on this one. Please take the time to make a call or send an e-mail, and please ask everybody in your social circle to do the same. Even someone who is not a horseperson can relate to how horrible a crime this was and how someone capable of doing this to a horse could easily be just as dangerous to humans and must be put behind bars.


If you already did call or e-mail – thank you! I know that the horse community can get this story to the forefront of the national news scene if we want to, and anyone who has or loves a horse should want to. Let’s make this happen!