Police accused of beating porcupines to death with batons [Updated]

[sl8]

Last edited Sat Oct 10, 2020, 06:43 AM - Edit history (1)

https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-accused-beating-porcupines-death-batons-73461823

Police accused of beating porcupines to death with batons

Official say two Maine police officers accused of beating porcupines to death are facing animal cruelty charges and have been fired

By The Associated Press
October 6, 2020, 7:56 PM
• 2 min read

ROCKLAND, Maine -- Two police officers in Maine were fired and are facing animal cruelty charges after using their batons to beat porcupines to death, authorities said.

Former Rockland Officers Addison Cox, 27, of Warren, and Michael Rolerson, 30, of Searsmont, also face charges of hunting at night, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.

Rockland Police Chief Chris Young confirmed the firing of two officers but declined to divulge details, asking members of the community to trust that he handled the situation appropriately.

[...]

Police say the animal cruelty charges stem from the officers using retractable batons to kill porcupines while on duty, The Courier-Gazette newspaper reported. A third officer videotaped the killings and shared them to Snapchat groups, the newspaper reported.

[...]

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Update:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/09/us/police-porcupines-trnd/index.html

Two Maine police officers who allegedly beat porcupines to death while on duty have been fired

[soothsayer]

1. Ugh

[padah513]

2. Charge the third officer too

If a couple of my friends committed a crime and I was there, I'd be charged too, so why is this any different?

[CaptYossarian]

3. Sick. No excuse for this.

[sl8]

4. Two Maine police officers who allegedly beat porcupines to death while on duty have been fired

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/09/us/police-porcupines-trnd/index.html

Two Maine police officers who allegedly beat porcupines to death while on duty have been fired

By Allen Kim, CNN

Updated 8:42 PM ET, Fri October 9, 2020

(CNN)Two Maine police officers were fired from the Rockland Police Department following a criminal and internal investigation into allegations leveled against them.

Addison Cox, 27, and Michael Rolerson, 30, were fired after allegedly beating porcupines to death with their batons while on duty, according to The Courier Gazette.

The incidents took place in early June but were not reported until late August by another Rockland police officer, The Courier Gazette reported.

Police chief Chris Young confirmed the termination of two officers in a statement on Facebook but would not divulge their identities or any details, citing state law relating to employee discipline. Young declined to comment to CNN.