The story sparked outrage nearly eight months ago, now the accused admits he did it.
Kenneth Boston, 51, pleaded guilty Tuesday to beating an already injured dog called “Lucy” to near death with a hammer on a Valley Center road, the North County Times reported.
He was immediately sentenced to three years of probation and 200 hours of community service, Deputy District Attorney Kate Flaherty said. He also was ordered to have anger management counseling and pay a $500 fine.
Lucy, a Weimaraner, was hit by a vehicle near Valley Center Road on March 8. Apparently, the driver that hit the dog didn't stop, but several other people did, including a woman who volunteered to drive Lucy to the vet.
Boston, though, thought Lucy should be put out of her misery then and there. So, he told everyone to back off, took a hammer from his truck and hit Lucy with it until it looked like she was dead.
"He pretty much got vigilante on everybody and decided this animal's fate and that he was the qualified individual to make that call," witness Anna Herrera said. "I don't know if in his eyes he thought it was doing the best thing for the dog, but no reasonable person decides to take an already injured animal and put it out of it's misery by beating in the head with a hammer. Nobody does that."
His actions, however, were not enough to kill the dog, which was euthanized by a sheriff deputy who shot Lucy after arriving at the scene.
Boston, an Escondido resident, reportedly told investigators that he had been trying to help Lucy by euthanizing her.
Flaherty said a necropsy showed that Lucy's injuries from getting hit by cars would have been fatal.
"She wouldn't have made it anyway," owner Francis told the paper. "But Lucy should have been consoled in a soft voice and petted softly."
Read More: North County Times
