Hearings set for boys accused in zoo break-in
Swans, geese were killed in incident
By Bobbi Mlynar
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Two boys accused of breaking into the David Traylor Zoo of Emporia and killling two black swans and two ceropsis geese on June 22 will have hearings at 9 a.m. on Aug. 21 in the courtroom of Judge Lee Fowler.
Andrew Vincent Rodriguez, 11, and Angel Ray Rodriguez Jr., 13, appeared in succession Tuesday afternoon before Lyon County Magistrate Judge John Conklin.
The boys were brought in separately, both restrained by chains connected at the wrists and ankles.
Each sat quietly, heads slightly down, with their attorney, Don C. Krueger, who asked Conklin to set the next hearings for both on the same day. Angel Ray Rodriguez Jr., the second of the brothers to appear, mouthed "Hi, Mom" to his mother as he was led from the courtroom.
The proceedings took a total of approximately 15 minutes.
"The kids haven't been in trouble before," Krueger said of his clients after the appearances in Judge Conklin's court. "I would like to think this is an aberration."
The brothers were to be returned to the custody of the Juvenile Justice Authority in separate cities out-of-town.
The case was continued for a third boy accused in the incident, Hernan Hernandez, 11.
Each of the three is charged with four counts of cruelty to animals, which includes intentionally killing, torturing, or maiming animals; one count of burglary on a building not used as a dwelling, a level-7 felony; and one count of criminal damage to property with loss less than $1,000. Four flower pots broken during the incident were valued at approximately $50, according to case records.
jcwhit232 (anonymous) says...
The boys haven't been in trouble before, or have they just not gotten caught before now? I just hope the courts do the right thing and teach these kids a lesson they will never forget.
August 5, 2008 at 2:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gazette_reader (anonymous) says...
I'm thinking the same thing, jcwhit232.
August 5, 2008 at 3:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
I thought that at least two of these kids had gotten in trouble in school, several times (weapons or something to that effect) !
I agree that a strong lesson is needed, so that these kids and their parents will know that this kind of behavior is not and will not be tolerated.
August 5, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
P.S.- I will be watching this play out with bated interest as to the outcome.
August 5, 2008 at 3:33 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
you might want to ensure that they get convicted before you go burning them at the stake. last I heard we had this thing called a legal system and that these kids have to be convicted before they are truly guilty of anything.
August 5, 2008 at 3:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Oh I don't know about that, goodoleboy. Krueger admitted to their guilt when he said, "The kids haven't been in trouble before," Krueger said of his clients after the appearances in Judge Conklin's court. "I would like to think this is an aberration."
What did he mean by "this"? So is he saying they did it, but the whole thing was just a deviation from what is considered to be their normal behavior? Hmmmm?
August 5, 2008 at 4:14 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Emporiafan (anonymous) says...
I thought they confessed while being questioned about a burglary they committed??
August 5, 2008 at 4:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dale011 (anonymous) says...
I hope the boys get help - like having to work at the zoo after school long enough to build some character and ethics. That would be the best help they could possibly get.
August 5, 2008 at 4:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Deepthoughts (anonymous) says...
I am so sick of the idea that we should take pity on someone that supposedly has never been in trouble before (or at least not with the law). I agree with jcwhit - they probably just hadn't been caught. All they need to do is call in some of the old teachers of these kids as character witnesses and they will quickly learn that these kids were trouble before this incident. So if these kids had killed a person, would their lawyer say the same thing? With that logic we shouldn't be as hard on first time murderers because that murder isn't as bad as the murder committed by someone who has done it before?
How does the fact that a person has never committed or been caught and convicted of committing a crime before lessen the seriousness of the crime itself that was committed? That makes NO sense.
August 5, 2008 at 5:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
northernmexican (anonymous) says...
Make them work for the damages, and start to make the parents more responsible for the actions of their kids. I think if we make the parents pay, the parents will start to take actions to stop the wrongdoings of their kids. Being from a Mexican household I could swear to that if any of us did something wrong and my dad had to pay, that would be the the first and last time any of us did something wrong. Let's have more options for the young kids of Emporia when they are not in school (sports,arts, camps etc etc....)
August 5, 2008 at 6:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
USNretired (anonymous) says...
Chains??! What is the rest of that story?
August 5, 2008 at 7:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Chains are probably SOP.
August 5, 2008 at 7:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
YaHooSis48 (anonymous) says...
Now let me see, what exactly did these sweet innocent kids do? Oh yes, they went into the pen of defenseless black swans and bet them to death with no mercy and then left one suffering that had to be put down. They were having fun! These animals were horrified & screaming for their life. You see these gentle creatures were used to their caregivers coming into the pens to clean and feed them and adore them as God's creatures. These boys killed w/no feeling, no conscious, no remorse. Will it be a small neighbor child next? What do you think. I can only imagine they have no respect for God, their parents, their teaches or anyone else. Let's see if our legal system can do the right thing??? I can only imagine the outcome.
August 5, 2008 at 8:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
outsiderlookingin (anonymous) says...
yes, lets wait to see what Krueger exposes about these good little kids. I am sure he will search for truth and justice---isnt that the American way!!! somebody out there knows the real truth about how good these kids are--
August 5, 2008 at 9:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
apsuz (anonymous) says...
On a more positive note, this children are still young enough that maybe being caught and punished (if indeed they are guilty), maybe they will learn a lesson and change their ways. It's better for everyone if children who have a tendency for violence to have that abated while still young instead of ignoring it as "boys will be boys" or something along those lines. I'm not trying to take away from the seriousness of what these boys are charged with. I'm just praying that they see the wickedness of their ways before they grow up to become rapists, drug lords or serial killers. And when/if returned to the parents, hopefully the parents will also recieve support to help the children grow into productive adults.
August 5, 2008 at 9:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sciguy (anonymous) says...
Good. Show them what the life they are choosing to lead will become if they do not learn from their actions.
A life in chains.
August 5, 2008 at 11:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
shellykelley07 (anonymous) says...
I cannot believe that their attorney thinks this is just an "aberration". If something this tragic is simply considered a 'deviation from the normal or usual', then there must be just something wrong with me! . Ok, who knows if these kids were truly in trouble in the past, but that DOES NOT MATTER. What is significant is the situation at PRESENT! This kids have committed a serious crime and should be punished for it. How harsh of a punishment...severe enough to make them remember. Severe enough to wake them up. A slap on the hand is NOT the answer. Lets get real people...disciplining your children these days is ridiculous. Now they say if you touch your kid you are abusing them. We got our hides tanned for being bad...we turned out ok. We aren't killing animals and carrying out any other type of criminal acts. When will this "politeness" for the wrong doings of children end? These kids, as well as others, are this country's future. Is this the kind of stuff I want my kids to see? NO WAY! Parents wake up, if you don't get control of your kids one way or another....you'll have the next article in the gazette. By the way, where were these kids' parents during this? Hmmm...
August 6, 2008 at 2:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )