Justice for the dog known as "Puppy Doe" has long been the cry of animal advocates from around the world after the young pit bull mix was found on a Massachusetts street, so badly beaten that she had to be put down.
But now it's up to a jury to decide whether "justice" means convicting or exonerating 36-year-old Radoslaw Czerkawski – the man charged with 12 counts of felony animal cruelty and one count of lying to police.
The dog, originally known as Kiya, was found starving and beaten in Quincy back in August 2013. Witnesses testified she had injuries that spanned a number of weeks, including broken and dislocated bones, cigarette burns, stab wounds and a split tongue.
"There's been no tears, there's been no emotion. He sits there emotionless," said Deanna Terminiello, an advocate with the group "Pawsitively Puppy Doe."
Czerkawski's defense attorney argued that's because his client wasn't the person who abused the dog.
"He had a dog, the dog ran away, and if it is the same dog in the street, the dog was injured by other people," defense attorney Larry Tipton said. "They want you to believe that this man brutally and savagely clipped the tongue of that dog, and they don't have one piece of evidence."
But prosecutors allege Czerkawski abandoned Kiya on the same day that the 95-year-old woman he was caring for on Whitwell Street passed away – allegedly so the animal abuse wouldn't be discovered.
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"He is the last person ever seen with Kiya healthy, and he is the person that inflicted those injuries on Kiya," said Assistant District Attorney Gregory Connors.
Czerkawski is already serving time in prison for stealing more than $100,000 from the elderly woman for whom he was a caregiver. Since the jury did not reach a verdict Friday, they will return to court to continue deliberations at 9 a.m. Monday.
