Mississippi Criminal Law BlogAccording to WLBT, the Jones County Sheriff’s Department (JCSD) arrested a woman for having sexual intercourse with a dog. It is reported that the dog was her own “service dog”. The action was videoed and posted to social media to which a concerned citizen reported it. The woman claims that although she is paid to video her sexual intercourse, she was coerced into making the video with her dog, against her will. She was charged with unnatural intercourse and aggravated cruelty to an animal, with a $25,000 bond and ordered to stay away from animals. JCSD states they have several videos that are too graphic to share or discuss, and some were made in other counties with separate charges to follow. The dogs have been seized and under medical treatment.
What is unnatural intercourse and aggravated cruelty?
Unnatural intercourse can be defined as any sexual intercourse that is not penile-vaginal. Aggravated cruelty to animals occurs when a person with malice, intentionally tortures, mutilates, maims, burns, starves or disfigures any domesticated dog or cat.
How does Mississippi define and punish unnatural intercourse?
In Mississippi, unnatural intercourse is also referred to as “sodomy”, defined similarly as sexual intercourse that is not penile-vaginal. Under state law, every person who is convicted of unnatural intercourse or sodomy against an animal is punished by imprisonment for no more than ten years.
How does Mississippi define and punish aggravated cruelty to animals?
Mississippi has particular laws for injuries to domesticated animals. Under state law, any person who, with malice, intentionally tortures, mutilates, maims, burns, starves to death, crushes, disfigures, drowns, suffocates or impales any domesticated dog or cat, or causes any person to do the same, then he or she is guilty of aggravated cruelty to a domesticated dog or cat. Each act of aggravated cruelty that is committed against more than one domesticated dog or cat is constituted as a separate offense.
A person who is convicted of a first offense of aggravated cruelty to a domesticated dog or cat would be found guilty of a felony and fined up to $5,000.00, or imprisoned up to 3 years. In addition to such fine or imprisonment, the court may order restitution to the owner of the animals or that the reasonable costs of sheltering, transporting and rehabilitating the domesticated dog or cat, and any other costs directly related to the care of the domesticated dog or cat, be reimbursed.
Any person convicted of aggravated cruelty will undergo a psychiatric or psychological evaluation and counseling or treatment for a length of time as prescribed by the court. The cost of any evaluation, counseling and treatment will be paid by the offender. They will perform
community service as well as be prohibited from employment in any position that involves the care of a domesticated dog or cat, or in any place where domesticated dogs or cats are kept or confined, for a period which the court finds appropriate.
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