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 MAXIMUS KILLER HAS BEEN ARRESTED July 24, 2007 7:21 AM

Brentwood Man Arrested For Setting Dog On FireDog Doused With Gas, Burned & Left To Die Former Owners Or Perpetrators Still Not Found

(CBS/AP) BRENTWOOD, N.Y. A man has been charged with cruelty after his dog was tied to a tree and set on fire.

The dog, a pit bull called Maximus by his rescuers, died last week after three surgeries. Authorities said he smelled of gasoline when he was found, severely injured, on July 12.

"He was a good dog up until the very end ... giving licks and kisses," Reed Zaroff, one of the Long Island veterinarians who tried to save him, told Newsday.

Derick Phanord, 22, of Brentwood, was arrested Monday night on a charge of aggravated animal cruelty, Suffolk County police said. Phanord also was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon for possessing a bludgeon, police said.

He was awaiting arraignment on Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip.

Donations are still being collected to defray the costs of Maximus' treatment. For information, contact the Veterinary Medical Center at 631-587-0800 or Save-A-Pet at 631-473-6333.

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Scum July 24, 2007 11:57 AM

Brentwood man confesses to setting dog on fireBY CHRISTINE ARMARIO AND JOSEPH MALLIA
 
July 24, 2007, 1:10 PM EDT
A Brentwood man confessed to soaking his pit bull with gasoline and setting the dog on fire, and said he did so because it was too aggressive toward his family, Suffolk County officials said at a Tuesday news conference.

The dog, named Maximus by the emergency veterinarians who tried to save it, was found tied to a tree burned over 60 percent of its body.

Derick Phanord, 22, of 156 Cocoanut St. in Brentwood, was arrested at 11:30 p.m. Monday after the Suffolk police got a tip that he was the dog's killer, police Commissioner Richard Dormer said.

"You wonder what kind of depravity is within one's mind," county Executive Steve Levy said.

When he heard of the dog's agonizing death last week, Levy said, "It actually turned my stomach."

The department put out an alert for Phanord's vehicle and a gang unit officer spotted him, Dormer said.

Phanord was arrested for driving with a suspended license and when detectives interviewed him he admitted first pouring chlorine bleach on the dog, then taking it to woods 1 1/2 miles from his Brentwood house where he poured gasoline on it from a red plastic container and set it on fire, the police said.

There the dog remained, tied to a tree, possibly for two days of suffering before he was found, said Chief Roy Gross of the Suffolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, who also spoke at Levy's news conference in Hauppauge. Levy said he will revamp the way the county police monitor animal abuse.

One detective in each precincts will develop a part-time specialty in investigating animal cruelty, Levy said.

Also, Levy plans to lobby the state Legislature for an amendment to Buster's Law, which now provides a maximum penalty of two years in prison for aggravated cruelty to animals. Levy wants to increase potential penalty to a five-year maximum prison term.

Levy also wants to establish a permanent reward fund aimed at encouraging confidential animal cruelty tips to the Crime Stoppers hotline. And he wants detective squads to work more closely with the SPCA.

Dormer said media coverage of the pit bull's death generated numerous tips that led the police to target Phanord. Once in custody Phanord confirmed that he was the owner of the pit bull, and said he had gotten the dog as a gift two months ago, Dormer said. He justified his actions by saying the dog it acted aggressively toward his family and a younger dog he owned, Dormer said.

County officials on Tuesday had on display the red plastic gasoline container that Phanord allegedly brought with him when he immolated the dog.

Phanord was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday at First District Court in Central Islip after spending the night in the Third Precinct lockup. He is also charged with criminal possession of a weapon, a bludgeon -- a billy club -- found when his car was stopped.

The dog, named Maximus by emergency veterinarians, was found July 12 with second- and third-degree burns over 60 percent of his body.

The Suffolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals last week said a reward had increased to $20,000 for information leading to whoever killed Maximus.

The dog smelled of gasoline when found with severe burns on the face and ears, wounds to its upper palate and teeth loss, the SPCA said.

Maximus died last Tuesday despite undergoing three surgeries and other veterinary care.

The 2-year-old, approximately 55-pound male dog was discovered on a right-of-way near Sycamore and Apple streets. Gross said that the SPCA got an overwhelming response of calls from people who were "disgusted" that a human would treat an animal this way. The dog was in good condition and was well fed before it was set afire, Gross said.

The dog was good-natured to the end, said Reed Zaroff of the Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island, one of the veterinarians who tried to save him. "He was a good dog up until the very end ... giving licks and kisses."
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 July 24, 2007 7:41 PM

Please help to pass the word around

Maximus's Petition has been edited to reflect current news!

No Leniency for Phanord - Maximus's Killer

 [ send green star]
 
No bloody excuse July 25, 2007 2:07 PM

Wanting to get rid of his "vicious" dog, Derick Phanord led the pit bull mix up a wooded path about a block from his home, a plastic jug of gas in hand.

After tying Spike to a tree, "I poured the gasoline ... on to the dog. Then I said a prayer for the dog, made the sign of the crucifix," Phanord said, according to a written statement he made to police.

"I took the cigarette I was smoking and lit the gas that puddled on the ground. The gas caught on fire and the dog also caught on fire. I turned my back and walked away."

In his confession, Phanord, 22, of Brentwood, said he got Spike about a month ago and that the dog threatened his pregnant sister and repeatedly tried to bite him.

Phanord was arrested late Monday after the Suffolk Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals received a tip that was passed on to Suffolk police. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday in First District Court in Central Islip to aggravated cruelty to an animal and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon.

Phanord, who was held on $50,000 cash bail or bond, faces up to two years in prison on the felony cruelty charge.

"I do know he has a strong family," said his Smithtown attorney, Paul Barahal. "Obviously, they are very concerned about him."

In his confession, Phanord said his family demanded he get rid of Spike.

On the day of the burning, Phanord describes how Spike -- later named Maximus by a vet who tried to save his life -- "locked up" on the head of his pit bull puppy Red, tearing the dog's eyelid. Phanord said he threw bleach and detergent on Spike and banged on the ground with a shovel in an attempt to make him let go of Red, according to his statement.

Later that day, Phanord torched Spike and left him to die, police said.

The 2-year-old dog was discovered, still tied to the tree, on July 12 by a child who called 911. The dog suffered burns over 60 percent of his body and underwent several surgeries before dying on July 17.

Suffolk SPCA Chief Roy Gross said that in addition to burns, the dog had a broken palate. Officials are unsure how much time passed before the dog was found, but it could have been as long as two days. "I've been doing this since 1984," Gross said. "This is one that will stick in my mind forever."

SPCA officials took Red from Phanord's home Tuesday, citing the dog's untreated eye injury, and plan to put the puppy up for adoption.

Staff writer Christine Armario contributed to this story.  [ send green star]
 
Pictures of the scum July 25, 2007 2:09 PM

Derick Phanord Derick Phanord (Newsday / James Carbone)  (Jul 24, 2007)
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In Memory of Maximus July 25, 2007 2:16 PM

Maximus

Maximus

Maximus

Maximus

Rest in peace Maximus. You was loved by many.

 [ send green star]
 
 July 25, 2007 2:17 PM

Maximus

Rest in peace Maximus. You are loved and never forgotten. May proper justice be served.

 [ send green star]
 
Action to take August 05, 2007 9:27 PM

Ref: Derick Phanord, 156 Cocoanut St. Brentwood....killer of Maximus, Pit  
Bull.  Phanord poured chlorine bleach on the dog, then taking it into  the
woods, 1 1/2 miles from his Brentwood house, tied the dog to a  tree, poured
gasoline on Maximum from a red plastic container and set  it on fire.  There the dog
remained, tied to a tree possibly for two days  of suffering before he was
found.  Maximus was burned over 60 percent of  his body and succumbed to his
injuries and died.

At the hearing, 8/2/07, at Central Islip court house, the decision was  
brought down to bring felony charges against Derick Phanord for the crime  of
aggravated cruelty committed against Maximum, causing the dog's death.   The case
is being moved to the Supreme court in Riverhead. Here, the case  start all
over again with arraignment then following through with the usual  process of the
law.

Arraignment date, August 7, 2007
Indictment # 022 98/07
Derick Phanord
at:
Suffolk County Courts
210 Center Drive
Riverhead, NY 11901

Judge: Judge C. Randall Hinrichs
4th Floor
Court Room 16
Court open at 9:30 a.m.

Assistant District attorney,  Michelle Aueletta

PLEASE WRITE LETTERS TO THE JUDGE AND ASS'T DA  (SEE BELOW FOR  ADDRESSE
EXPRESSING THAT THE HEINOUS CRIMES CONTINUOUSLY BEING INFLICTED  UPON OUR MOST
LOYAL AND PRECIOUS FRIEND, THE DOG MUST BE STOPPED.  SUCH  SADISTIC, DEPRAVED
ACTS AS COMMITTED BY DERICK PHANORD MUST BE PUNISHED TO THE  FULL EXTEND THAT
THE LAW ALLOWS. (Note: at this time, full extend of the law is  imprisonment
which may not exceed two years.)  WE MUST STOP THESE SADISTIC,  DEPRAVED
INDIVIDUALS FROM INFLICTING TORTURE TO OUR ANIMALS CAUSING  EXTREME PAIN, SUFFERING
AND DEATH IN ORDER TO SATISFY THEIR EVIL,  SADISTIC DESIRES.  IT WILL NOT STOP
WITH ABUSE TO OUR NON-HUMAN  ANIMALS.  IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THAT ABUSE TO
ANIMALS RUNS PARALLEL TO  ABUSE TO HUMANS.

"Anyone who has accustomed himself to regard the life of any living  creature
as worthless is in danger of arriving also at the idea of worthless  human
lives."  Albert Schweitzer

PLEASE WRITE.  It has been proven in the past  that letters written has a
strong effect upon the outcome of a case.  It  also brings attention to the case
and shows the public's interest  and concern.  

Judge C. Randall Hinrichs
Suffolk County Courts
210 Center Drive
Riverhead, NY 11901

Assistant District attorney, Michelle Aueletta
North County Complex
Building 77
Veterans Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788

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 August 06, 2007 2:20 AM

Please write against this scum.  [ send green star]
 
 August 08, 2007 4:51 AM

Grand jury indicts man in dog burning caseBy FRANK ELTMAN | Associated Press Writer 2:17 PM EDT, August 7, 2007

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. - A judge doubled the bail Tuesday for a Long Island man accused of burning his pit bull alive after a grand jury returned an indictment charging the suspect with two felony counts of animal cruelty and other offenses.

Derick Phanord's attorney claimed after the arraignment in Suffolk County Court in Riverhead that his client's family has been receiving anonymous threatening telephone calls and messages at his Brentwood home since his arrest last month.

Phanord, 22, was ordered held on $100,000 cash bail after he pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals, two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals, as well as weapons possession and traffic charges. If convicted, he could face two years in prison, prosecutors said.

The dog, a pit bull called Maximus by his rescuers, died last month after three surgeries. Authorities said the animal smelled of gasoline when he was found July 12 tethered to a tree, still alive, with burns over 60 percent of his body.

Phanord "walked away while the dog was still burning," said Assistant District Attorney Michelle Auletta,

Phanord, who is unemployed, had been held on $50,000 bail since his arrest last month, but County Court Judge C. Randall Hinrichs doubled that amount after a grand jury indicted Phanord on Tuesday. He did not immediately post bail.

Phanord's attorney, Sean Sabeti, said his client would likely employ a "temporary insanity" defense, claiming that Phanord was angry "Maximus" had attacked another of his dogs, blinding the other animal in one eye. Authorities seized that animal following Phanord's arrest.

"The young man must have been in tremendous shock in order to conduct himself that way," said Sabeti, who said his client was a special education student who never graduated high school. "Maybe the anger of Derick arose from the attack the pit bull made on his puppy?"

Sabeti, who said Phanord's family has been receiving threats ever since his arrest, said his client is "extremely, extremely remorseful. He doesn't know what he can do to correct the past."

Sabeti also appealed for an end to threats he said have been made to Phanord's home. Phanord has been the target of derision and ridicule on various animal rights Web sites since the allegations of abuse surfaced.

"Our wish is that the community would stop being angry with Derick," Sabeti said.

A Suffolk County police spokesman said he had no immediate information that any threats had been reported to police.

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 August 08, 2007 4:53 AM

Mother of dog-burning suspect getting hate mail   BY ALFONSO A. CASTILLO | alfonso.castillo@newsday.com August 8, 2007

Since news spread of her son's arrest on charges that he burned his dog alive, Roline Phanord has been bombarded with threats that she will suffer the same fate, the Brentwood woman said in court yesterday as her son pleaded not guilty to animal cruelty charges.

"People call me ... sometimes at midnight, 4 o'clock in the morning," said the woman, standing outside the Riverhead courtroom where her son, Derick Phanord, 22, was arraigned on a grand jury indictment. "They say they're going to come over and burn me ... with my whole family."

Phanord pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of aggravated cruelty to animals and two misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animals. Suffolk County Court Judge C. Randall Hinrichs ordered him held on $100,000 cash bail, or $200,000.

Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Michelle Auletta said after Phanord set the dog, named Spike, on fire last month, he "walked away while the dog was still burning."

The dog was found tied to a tree by a passerby several days later, still alive but covered with burns on more than 60 percent of his body. His rescuers later re-named him Maximus.

The dog received veterinary care, but died days later.

Phanord's attorney Sean Sabeti, of Jericho, said he intended to pursue a "temporary insanity" defense, saying that his client exploded in a violent rage after "the vicious dog" attacked his other pit bull puppy, Red, injuring her eye. Sabeti said his client needs counseling, and noted that Phanord used to take special education classes and was unable to finish high school.

"He temporarily lost his control," said Sabeti, who added that his client was remorseful and devastated by the loss of his two dogs, as well as the pain that his family has endured.

Red was rescued July 24 and put up for adoption. Suffolk SPCA chief Roy Gross said the agency has received more than 100 calls about Red, and is close to choosing a new home for her. Gross added that she has recovered from her injuries, and still has vision in both eyes.

Roline Phanord said she has received more than 20 hate mail letters in the past several weeks, and dozens of calls from angry animal activists - some threatening to come to her house, tie her to a tree and torch her. The woman, a native of Haiti, said the charges were out of character for her son, who took care of her as she battled cancer - carrying her from room to room "like a baby."

"He's a sweet, sweet boy," she said.

 [ send green star]
 
 August 08, 2007 4:54 AM

Sweet boy, far from a sweet boy this scum.  [ send green star]
 
anonymous  November 30, 2007 7:26 AM

Signed petition!

This is horrible. If he needed to get rid of the dog then he should have taken it to a shelter instead of killing it or trying to kill it in such a gruesome manner!

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