Success: Maximum Penalty Sought for Albatross Killer

Target: Janet Futa, Deputy Prosecutor for Honolulu County, Hawaii

Goal: Commend prosecutor for seeking the maximum possible punishment for a man accused of participating in the brutal killing of 15 albatrosses.

A young man who recently plead no contest for his participation in the violent and gruesome deaths of 15 Laysan albatrosses at a natural conservation area will now face the maximum possible penalties during his upcoming sentencing. Thanks to public outcry, such as from this petition on ForceChange, the prosecutor handling this case, Janice Futa, has agreed that the callous nature of this crime cannot go unpunished.

The accused man, Christian Gutierrez, who was 18 at the time of the attack, had been camping with two younger teen friends near Kaena Point, a protected wildlife preserve. Gutierrez has plead no contest to allegations that he had joined his companions in the shocking and cruel beating, dismemberment and murder of over a dozen birds at a nesting site. Several albatrosses were found with missing feet, while many eggs were crushed and destroyed.

Gutierrez’s attorney has tried to argue that his client should not be punished due to his age and the fact he faced peer pressure. However, given the extreme cruelty of this crime it is clear that justice must be served. If the judge accepts this sentencing, Gutierrez will face over a year in jail and may have to pay over $6,000 in fines.

Animal cruelty is a serious crime and it must be treated as such. Sign this petition to thank prosecutor Janice Futa for standing up for these innocent birds.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Ms. Futa,

I would like to thank you for seeking the maximum penalty in the case of accused albatross killer, Christian Gutierrez. Even though Gutierrez agreed to assist in the continuing investigation against his peers as part of his plea deal, the extreme callousness involved in this shocking crime cannot be ignored. Over a dozen protected albatrosses were murdered and dismembered in a heinous and cold-hearted fashion, and justice must be sought.

Across the United States and beyond, cases of animal abuse far too often result in lenient sentencing, causing untold amounts of suffering to go unpunished. I wish to thank you for taking this case seriously and hope that it will send a message to others.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: David Patte/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service