Story Published:
Feb 11, 2006 at 5:36 PM PST
Story Updated:
Oct 20, 2009 at 3:50 PM PST
OLYMPIA - People accused of having sex with animals
would face a felony charge under a measure approved Saturday by the
Senate.
The bill passed on a 36-0 vote, with 13 lawmakers excused. It
was prompted by a widely publicized Washington state case in which
a man died of injuries suffered while having sex with a horse. The
measure now goes to the House.
"It's really a bill that will protect animals, who are
innocent, by the fact that they can't consent," said Sen. Pam
Roach, R-Auburn, the bill's prime sponsor. "We have a good deal of
our population wanting to protect innocent animals from any
cruelty."
The measure would make bestiality a Class C felony, which is
punishable by a maximum five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Anyone videotaping such acts also could be convicted under animal
cruelty laws, as could anyone permitting such acts to take place on
their property.
Offenders could also be restricted from owning animals and
required to undergo counseling.
Washington is one of 14 states where bestiality is not
explicitly prohibited, according to the National Conference of
State Legislatures.
"I know this has been the subject of a lot of press and I know
there are some who feel this is something unnecessary," said Sen.
Adam Kline, D-Seattle, a co-sponsor on the bill. "The fact is, we
had a gaping hole in our criminal statutes. It ought to be
criminalized. I think this bill is a moderate step in that
direction."
The issue made headlines in July, when Kenneth Pinyan of Seattle
died after suffering a perforated colon while having sex with a
horse at a farm in rural King County.
Prosecutors were unable to charge anyone with animal cruelty,
but James Michael Tait, 54, of Enumclaw, pleaded guilty to
trespassing for unlawfully entering the barn during the incident.
Authorities said Tait videotaped the act. He received a one-year
suspended sentence, a $300 fine and community service.
Authorities said the Enumclaw farm involved in the bestiality
death was well-known on the Internet. Investigators found hundreds
of hours of videotaped evidence, but there was no evidence of
injury to the horses involved, so no animal cruelty charges were
ever filed.
