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Albert Lea man convicted of animal cruelty
Madrigal to serve 2 years probation, community service
Published Thursday, July 30, 2009
Freeborn County District Court Judge John A. Chesterman on Tuesday sentenced a 33-year-old Albert Lea man to two years probation and community service for a felony conviction of mistreating a dog.
Michael Anthony Madrigal first appeared in court in April on one count of mistreating an animal by means of torture and one count of mistreating an animal by cruelty. He hit his girlfriend’s dog with a metal pole during an incident in December 2008.
Madrigal was convicted of the charge of mistreating an animal by cruelty, and the charge of mistreating an animal by torture was dismissed.
He will now be on supervised probation until July 27, 2011, and if he violates that probation he will be required to serve 17 months at a prison in St. Cloud.
He is also required to complete 40 hours of Sentence to Serve time.
Michael Madrigal
According to court records, Madrigal acknowledged in a statement to police that he had gotten into an argument with his girlfriend and that they were yelling at each other when the dog snipped at him.
Madrigal then “grabbed a metal pole and came back upstairs and hit the dog with a pole,” according to the records.
When an Albert Lea animal-control officer responded to the call, she found that the right side of the dog’s face was swollen and sensitive to the touch. One of its eyeballs was filled with blood.
Madrigal has previously been charged in Freeborn County District Court for terroristic threats, drug possession, trespassing, assault, drunken driving and other traffic-related charges.
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Comments
Posted by taxpayer (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW!! With a legal history like that I can see where probation with no jail time was justified. A fine, upstanding citizen?? like this definately does not deserve to spend any time in jail. What is going on in this community?
Posted by wingo (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 9:41 a.m. (Suggest removal)
We don't need that kind of person in our town. If he mistreats animals he probably would mistreat humans.
Posted by albertleacitizen1 (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This man's actions are disgusting.
Posted by knockerknock (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:19 a.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by leeleebelle (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Our legal system sure is going down the drain; everything someone does is either stayed or dismissed.....WHY? What they should do to this "beast" is to do the same thing to him that he did to the dog (and that goes for all cruelty to animals and children)........"do unto others as you have them do unto you!"
Posted by standingby (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, what a piece of work! He should be placed in a cage with hungry lions. Who would hurt then!
Posted by anasgrammy (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
they also should have added that he can never own,or have in his home, other animals. saw his girlfriend that lives with him walking with a small black kitty on her shoulder. wonder if that one is still alive. i also don't understand why everything is always dismissed and people given just probation and service hours. what's that teaching them? make them actually pay for their crime. jail time or heavy fines or both.
Posted by speakup (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 11:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Freeborn county legal system will continue operating the way it does unless the concerned citizens stand up an refuse to take it anymore.
Posted by speakup (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I sure hope there aren't any kids in his household!
Posted by crzy_mama2mny (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 12:51 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by hsmom (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 4:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm not surprised that losers like this get nothing but a slap on the hand!What is wrong with our justice system?Let me get this straight,,you can beat,torture and kill animals.You can degrade,abuse ,molest the elderly.You can slash people.You can drive drunk and possibly kill someone,and you can purposely kill someone and still get little to nothing.But if you are caught with marijuana or any other drug,you are hit with a stiff PRISON sentence and huges fines!!!I understand that drugs are illegal,and you should be punished for those activities,but what about all the other disgusting things people are getting away with?Someone needs to change these consequences for theses idiots!I see the people that CAN change these outcomes are absolutely not doing their jobs!Come on people!We're paying you to do what????
Posted by sowhatnow (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 5:02 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by Opinionated (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 6 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I agree that this is a very heinous crime and it should not be taken lightly. I am sure that there are allot underlying psychological issues with people like this. However, putting someone in prison coast money. The automatic outcry is “throw him jail”. People do not stop and think that it coasts the tax payers, that's you and me, allot of money every year to house criminals. These same people that make these automatic claims then complain when their taxes get increased. Also, there is only so much room in our jail system. It is sad to say but the legal system has to determine who to put in jail and who not to based on the severity of the offense.
Posted by buddy (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 6:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Boy , thats for sure sowhatnow. I tell ya I can't wait till he does violate. Of course we can almost expect that it will not be the 17 months or what ever. I think they should only give him about 1 week. And that week he should be sentenced to hold on to an electric fence out in the country at some farm. That means 24 hours around the clock. Inclusive of bathroom breaks, and of course in the rain. You can't tell me that he would ever hurt another animal. I'm really not asking for inhuman treatment actally as I would never do that to an animal. And I tell you what. Iv'e releived myself on a fence once or twice and that was to see who could last the longest. I feel bad that some of you city slickers don't get the chance to try those neat country treats.You all remember how they had to build another driveway when makeover did the house for those wonderfull folks? Well I tell you what, they would have to make one for the sight of a dog beater out in the country peeing on an electric fence with a bunch of dogs making sure he didn't let go. Remember those fences aren't a constant jolt. Rather more like a BUSY TONE ON A TELEPHONE. Think about it. Which penalty would you use. How about it Tribune? Will we have a knew subject to vote on this week? really hope the Trib. doesn't delete this cuz just think about it. Which one of these will mean a durn thing to someone like? Thank-You for the opportunity to voice my choice, and if Albert Lea charged a buck for anyone who wanted to see it, they could really bring in the bucks. Just think about it. Sweetcorn, pronto pups? and lots of revenue. You all have a wonderful evening now!
Posted by jsomn1 (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 8:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You are the ones that elected Craig Nelson and then you complain at the job he is doing. If you don't like it get someone in there that knows what is going on.
Posted by ccvilla (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
if his history repeats itself, he will violate his probation, he will go back to prison again, then he will get out and break another law and start his cycle all over again. He has been in and out of the legal system since he was 13 and hasn't changed at all. He is a sick sick man and I know I as a tax payer would be willing to help pay to keep him locked up for the rest of his life.......
Posted by hockeymom (anonymous) on July 30, 2009 at 10:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
like father like son!!!!
Posted by knockerknock (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 7:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
6X6X6 is reserved for ya at St Cloud there tuff guy.
Posted by sunshine214 (anonymous) on July 31, 2009 at 7:34 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This man should of been put behind bars, if he does this to animals you can bet he does this to people too! Two years probation is nothing, we need tougher laws on animal cruelty, the poor animal cannot defend himself. Shame on the justice system.
Posted by cmon_people (anonymous) on January 23, 2010 at 2:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sunshine214, I definitely agree with you. Not just because people who abuse animals are more likely to abuse humans, but for the sheer fact that animals have no way of defending themselves, and do not understand everything humans tell them and may disobey because of that.
Opinionated, I would give ALL of my tax-paying money to go for the prevention of animal cruelty/to have animal abusers put behind bars for a very long time. It’s not fair, and, as hsmom pointed out, all of this gets by with virtually no sentence or fine. It is absolutely sickening. It seems like most government money isn’t being spread equally, and there should be some sort of animal abuse prevention aside from the animal-control officer, who can only do so much—and is generally called out when it’s nearly too late. People need to be stopped at the first sign of animal cruelty.
Animal abuse is one of (if not the) biggest things that tick me off. Nobody seems to really be putting a significant stop to animal cruelty, and it’s disgusting. Something needs to be done. It’s as if people don’t take it seriously, when, in all reality, it’s basically just as serious as any other abuse—and is similar in nature to abusing someone who cannot defend him/herself.
My dog will “snip” at anyone who pushes me around (even for pretend) because he just wants to protect me. It’s in their nature. A firm “no” does just as well, or perhaps backing off the intimidating vibe you give off while “yelling” at your girlfriend.
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