Sentencing dropped the ball in abuse case

I have attended each of Arnold J. Teeter/iguana court hearings for months. Judge Cicconetti presiding.

The charges are animal abuse (ORC 959-131) plus disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.

The fracas inside the Painesville Perkins Restaurant with Teeter using the iguana as weapon and victim simultaneously and the continuance of Teeter’s aberrant behavior: Quote: “as he was walking through oncoming Mentor Avenue traffic with motorists forced to swerve to avoid him...while attempting to evade arrest” ..while confining the iguana inside his shirt.”

Arnold Teeter has a past record of 64 cases in Painesville Municipal Court. (This includes traffic violations and civil cases.)

Under direct order from the judge at one point, Teeter was given a GPS and under house detention. Teeter was seen in a bar and claimed he had not charged the battery in the GPS.

This fact made no difference to the judge.

None.

At the pre-sentence on Aug. 8, regarding the animal abuse charge that allows six months jail, I saw the defendant and judge have a verbal exchange like a father and 2-year-old.

Father: “you keep misbehaving and being caught. I don’t know what to do. How many times do I have to tell you to be good?”

Child: “I don’t know.” Father: “I keep trusting that you will stop acting badly...do you understand?”

Child: “yeah..”

Father: “Are you taking your medicine as you should?” Child: “Well,... I try .... but...” Father: “Well, keep trying. I don’t want you to be bad anymore.”

Child: “But, sometimes stuff happens to me that I don’t like and makes me feel bad and sad .... it’s not my fault...I don’t do it on purpose .... ”

Father: “OK, we’ll see. Go out and play.”

Judge Cicconetti sentenced Teeter to 90 days jail, then suspended the whole 90 days in piecemeal fashion in one sentence.

Four months wasted. Time, taxpayers’ money, grief for citizens who need to see justice done for the sake of all animals tortured and abused.

What is the sense of having a prosecutor and judge that does not uphold the lawful penalties that coincide with the guilty verdict?

There may as well be no laws. As far as communication with a prosecutor, there is none.

In this case, the court appointed attorney in Teeter’s case said, he “had a lot of things happen in his life” that caused him to veer off track. (Don’t we all but that is no excuse) And that things are more stable now. We shall see.

This scenario is repeated 90% of time in courts regarding animal abuse and the deviants who are freed after being found guilty.

No jail time.

Teeter is a loose cannon. Let’s hope this 49-year-old cannon stops now. Next time he might use a human hostage.

Judge Cicconetti dropped the ball in court. Period.

Vonnie L. Hayden

Painesville