Animal abusers have a greater chance of getting away with their crimes under current Arizona law, according to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.
The county attorney and animal welfare advocates are working to change that. In a press conference on Tuesday related to the nationally-highlighted case of serial animal abuser April McLaughlin, Mitchell urged state lawmakers to pass proposed legislation like SB1047 to make it easier to bring charges against animal abusers.
“Anytime that we can further narrow the definition of words like ‘water’ and ‘food’ and ‘shelter,’ and make it more explainable, it’s going to help us be more successful in prosecution,” said Mitchell. “So it’s not just ‘water,’ it’s ‘water that’s fit for consumption,’ as an example, so we’re removing the ambiguity.”
— Maricopa County Attorney's Office (@marcoattorney) January 16, 2024
McLaughlin — also known by other aliases like “Sydney Taylor McKinley,” “April Addison,” and “Tay McKinley,” in addition to an alleged additional dozen other aliases — faces around 80 misdemeanors and eight felony charges related to animal abuse committed under her nonprofit rescue, Special Needs Animal Welfare League (SNAWL). Most of the misdemeanor charges are pending in the Chandler municipal court, with the remainder in the Maricopa County Superior Court.
An investigation last September, prompted by a viral social media campaign, discovered 55 severely neglected special-needs dogs living in deplorable living conditions and five puppies deceased in a freezer. Of the 55 rescued, at least five have been euthanized.
The campaign that inspired the investigation into McLaughlin and some of her victims is evidenced through hashtags like #chandler55 and the account dedicated to exposing McLaughlin, “clydethesuperhusky_truth.” The latter account dates back to 2019.
However, animal welfare advocates have claimed that McLaughlin has hoarded special-needs dogs for years in the state under her various aliases — and that they attempted to get law enforcement involved, to no avail. Those advocates also say that McLaughlin would diagnose some healthy dogs with disabilities.
Under the alias “April Addison,” McLaughlin started a different special needs dog rescue nonprofit called “Special Pawz” several years ago. With exposure of the alleged abuse under that nonprofit, McLaughlin shuttered the organization before relaunching as SNAWL.
McLaughlin achieved social media fame, for a time, earning her video features and interviews with popular national programs and organizations like Inside Edition and The Dodo.
McLaughlin attempted to recover ownership rights to 13 of those dogs; her petition was denied in Chandler, which she appealed. Earlier this month, the superior court denied that appeal.
McLaughlin pleaded not guilty to the charges on Wednesday in the superior court.
County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell joined the @AZHumane this morning in support of SB 1047, a critical piece of legislation aimed at protecting pets and strengthening the state's animal cruelty laws. pic.twitter.com/nHMITajq2y
— Maricopa County Attorney's Office (@marcoattorney) January 16, 2024
Present at the press conference were members of the Arizona Humane Society (AHS), who partnered with State Sen. T.J. Shope (R-LD) to craft SB1047.
AHS also assisted in submitting evidence worthy of pressing animal abuse charges against McLaughlin, after charges were initially dropped against her due to an initial need for more evidence. AHS had previously conducted wellness checks on McLaughlin’s residence.
AHS reported that it responded to 15,000 calls for service and opened 10,000 animal abuse investigations last year — a 21 percent increase from 2022.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Maricopa’s Republican County Attorney is joining law enforcement organizations in pushing back against federal monitoring of police departments.
Last week, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell posted her displeasure with the principle of federal monitoring of law enforcement departments, writing, “Look no further than MCSO to see what ‘federal monitoring’ does to agencies. Monitors (people paid to determine whether an agency is in compliance) have ZERO incentive to find compliance. It will cost the taxpayers MILLIONS and crime will increase.”
Look no further than MCSO to see what "federal monitoring" does to agencies. Monitors (people paid to determine whether an agency is in compliance) have ZERO incentive to find compliance. It will cost the taxpayers MILLIONS and crime will increase.@MCSOAZ@andybiggs4az… https://t.co/InGA5Vs3lc
— Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (@Rachel1Mitchell) November 4, 2023
Mitchell’s forceful comment was in response to a post from the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA), which shared an opinion piece in a local publication, entitled “Phoenix Deserves Better.” The article was written by PLEA’s President, Darrell Kriplean, to counter another piece in support of federal monitoring of the City of Phoenix’s Police Department.
Kriplean called the endorsement of federal monitoring “both dangerous and deceitful,” opining that “while it’s hard to comprehend how someone without any law enforcement experience…could so boldly write a piece designed to inflame the emotions of our citizens through emotionally laden rhetoric, it certainly is not a surprising tactic.”
The association’s president excoriated the motivation and genesis of federal monitoring, saying, “Federal Consent Decrees on police agencies have been a stain on American communities since their inception in 1994 and their continued failure combined with the cottage industry of ‘experts’ making millions from them, have no choice but to inject scare tactics and lies into the communities they prey on in an attempt to justify the continued madness.”
According to the piece, the City of Seattle’s Police Department, among other American cities, have been under federal monitoring, and the price tag and results have been crippling. Kriplean added, “Seattle has been in a consent decree since 2011 and it just crossed over the $120-million-mark for its decree and the only thing that has changed in the Emerald City other than record crime is a police department with the lowest staffing since 1991. The quality of life is gone. Not even their $30,000 hiring bonus can help them, and they currently have more murders than police hires.”
On August 5, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice opened a “pattern or practice investigation into the City of Phoenix and the Phoenix Police Department (PhxPD)” to “assess all types of use of force by PhxPD officers, including deadly force.” The DOJ highlighted that its investigation would “include a comprehensive review of PhxPD’s systems of accountability, including misconduct complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition, and discipline.”
At the time of the announcement, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said, “When we conduct pattern or practice investigations to determine whether the Constitution or federal law has been violated, our aim is to promote transparency and accountability. This increases public trust, which in turn increases public safety. We know that law enforcement shares these goals.”
Earlier this year, the City of Phoenix and Phoenix Police Department updated people on the progress of the investigation, alerting readers that “city and police leaders have provided the DOJ with documents, videos, interviews, ride-a-longs, and access to training sessions with the department.” The City’s bulletin revealed that the DOJ investigation “has come with challenges, as it took several months to negotiate a method for sharing sensitive law enforcement information which complied with FBI standards.”
Per the City of Phoenix’s information, the DOJ’s Civil Pattern or Practice investigation into the Phoenix Police Department “is the 71st investigation of its kind since the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 was signed into law by President Bill Clinton.” If DOJ finds “patterns or practices of misconduct,” then Phoenix will likely find itself with a federal monitor.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
The top prosecutor for Arizona’s largest county continues to take a tough stand against organized retail theft in her jurisdiction.
Last week, Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell announced that charges were being filed against an individual who allegedly robbed a jewelry store in Old Town Scottsdale.
The crime occurred in the late morning of September 1 at Marina Jewelers. People outside the store were alerted to the fact that a man running out of the store had purportedly stolen jewelry from the store, and acted to detain him until police arrived to make the arrest.
Mitchell revealed that the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office would be charging this individual with Class 2 Theft – in addition to other charges – because of the amount he tried to take from the store. The primary charge, she informed reporters, came with a mandatory prison sentence.
In her opening statement to the press, Mitchell explained that organized retail theft prosecutions have been a priority for her office – not only because of the impact on the businesses experiencing the direct heists – but because of the impact to the community, which includes empty buildings, and loss of jobs, services, or goods. She pointed out that the consequences of these crimes often affect poorer parts of town before trickling to more affluent neighborhoods, making it more difficult for consumers to acquire the goods and services they need for their everyday lives.
The County Attorney highlighted how other states and jurisdictions handle organized retail thefts – especially where prosecutors have set a threshold of $1,000 to activate charges. She emphasized to any potential or current criminals who may be watching: “in Arizona that has not been done.” Her office is willing to prosecute some cases, when appropriate, as felonies.
During her opening remarks, Mitchell twice stated that “this is not the state you want to be in to mimic the behavior you see on the news in other parts of the country, such as Los Angeles.” She referred to Los Angeles as a “hellscape,” in part, due to its lax standards for holding criminals accountable for their organized retail theft offenses.
From County Attorney @Rachel1Mitchell: "This is not the state you want to be in to mimic the behavior that you are seeing on the news in other parts of the country, such as Los Angeles." pic.twitter.com/Bhgl8GpOmY
— Maricopa County Attorney's Office (@marcoattorney) September 7, 2023
Later in her press conference, Mitchell returned to this issue of organized retail theft due to a reporter’s question. Mitchell shared that when she took office, she “felt like our specialized retail theft prosecutors were limited to too high of a dollar amount before they could get involved,” noting that some of these lawbreakers commit smaller offenses at place after place. She informed her audience that upon taking office, one of her initial acts was to lower the value threshold to allow her prosecutors to get involved in the cases earlier, and the second was to create a task force within the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and link their efforts with those of the Arizona Retailers Association.
Mitchell promised that her office is continuing to look at ways to reduce the instances of organized retail theft in the county and to make sure that her jurisdiction does not become like Los Angeles.
In July 2022, the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office formed an organized retail theft taskforce, featuring “a group of specialized prosecutors and detectives who will work with local law enforcement and the Arizona Retailer’s Association to address criminal acts involving organized retail theft.” Mitchell at that time said, “Retail stores are being devasted by groups who recklessly and intentionally take what they want and leave destruction in their wake. Many are organized gangs who have found new funding sources with stolen merchandise and the impact of this affects everyone of us.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Arizonans may have gained valuable insight into the future direction of their state – thanks to a surprising action from a neighboring state.
Last week, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed an Executive Order to declare a State of Public Health Emergency due to gun violence. According to the New Mexico Governor’s Office, Grisham’s action plan “includes a suspension of open and concealed carry laws in Bernalillo County, temporarily prohibiting the carrying of guns on public property with certain exceptions.”
Today, I signed an executive order declaring gun violence a public health emergency. To my fellow citizens: get loud. Step up. Demand change: from your neighbors, from your friends, from your communities, from your elected leaders. Enough is enough. More coming from me tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/jOt4fv4YDC
The move from the New Mexico Governor was met with both support and opposition, with even members of her own party taking issues with what or how the governor was using her executive powers in this situation.
While Grisham’s order was controversial enough, the Arizona House Democrats Caucus created news of its own by appearing to post an endorsement of the action.
Arizona Republicans currently hold slim majorities in both the state’s House and Senate chambers, but both political parties are vying for control of the Legislature in the next election. With a Democrat Governor at the helm of the state, a Democrat takeover of the state legislature would likely have serious repercussions from a policy standpoint, which would undoubtedly include some proposal or action against Second Amendment freedoms.
Republican Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell was quick to respond to the House Democrats’ post, vowing to see them in court if it ever came to that point on this issue of restricting Arizonans’ constitutional freedoms.
— County Attorney Rachel Mitchell (@Rachel1Mitchell) September 9, 2023
The General Counsel for the Arizona House Republicans, Linley Wilson, added, “Who’s going to tell them? Or maybe they already know that in addition to the AZ & U.S. constitutions, ARS 26-303(L) has been on the books in Arizona since 2007. Fun fact: the AZ House vote on SB 1258 to protect 2A rights during an ‘emergency’ was 55-0-5.”
Who’s going to tell them? Or maybe they already know that in addition to the AZ & U.S. constitutions, ARS 26-303(L) has been on the books in Arizona since 2007. Fun fact: the AZ House vote on SB 1258 to protect 2A rights during an “emergency” was 55-0-5. https://t.co/ZKcqj0C3UBpic.twitter.com/lnElXTaWv1
Jonathan Turley, a legal analyst and national columnist, opined on the latest from New Mexico, writing, “The order, in my view, is flagrantly unconstitutional under existing Second Amendment precedent. It could also be a calculated effort to evade a ruling by making the period of suspension so short. Many will of course celebrate the boldness of Grisham in taking away an individual right under a cleaver measure. It is, however, too cleaver by half. If not found moot at the end of the period, New Mexico could supply a vehicle to curtail future public health rationales.”
The order, in my view, is flagrantly unconstitutional under existing Second Amendment precedent. It could also be a calculated effort to evade a ruling by making the period of suspension so short…https://t.co/aURAa8Ict9
Arizona Senator Frank Carroll also weighed in on the New Mexico Governor’s decision, saying, “I’m appalled at what has transpired in the great state of New Mexico. Their radical Democrat Governor is setting a dangerous precedent by violating their law-abiding citizens’ constitutional right to protect themselves, their family, and their property against dangerous criminals. Every single American should be outraged at the reckless political agenda that continues to be forced by the Left to control you and undo the principles of freedom, liberty and democracy established by our nation’s Founding Fathers.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: @RepFrankCarroll Condemns New Mexico's Ban on Guns, Vows to Protect Arizonans from Deliberate Violation of Constitutional Rights ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/VoVMjOyfAd
The state’s Senate President, Warren Petersen, made it abundantly clear that a Republican-led Legislature would not stand for such a measure from the governor, stating, “Criminals will be emboldened by the executive order issued by New Mexico’s governor. Law abiding citizens will be left unarmed as criminals ignore the law and paper executive orders. Takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun. Takes good force to stop evil force.”
Criminals will be emboldened by the executive order issued by New Mexicos governor. Law abiding citizens will be left unarmed as criminals ignore the law and paper executive orders. Takes a good guy with a gun to stop a bad guy with a gun. Takes good force to stop evil force.
This week, Danielle Jordan made her second appearance before the Laveen School District Governing Board to call for action in her son’s case from earlier this spring. Jordan spoke for approximately thirty minutes after a member on the Board first indicated that she was only going to be allowed to give two minutes of public comments to address the circumstances surrounding her son – then reversed course after a private conversation with an attorney.
On April 25, Danielle’s ten-year-old son was allegedly confronted by a school official at Vista Del Sur Accelerated Academy in the Laveen Elementary School District. Video captured in a school office – and highlighted by other media reports – appears to show the school official on top of the young boy, holding him down. The footage purportedly shows at least one other person in the room with the boy and the school official, standing off to the side. The police were called to the school after the incident, and according to reports, the investigation may be ongoing.
According to reports, the alleged (and videoed) interaction between the boy and the school official happened after he was apparently told he was suspended from the school. Few details are publicly known about the catalyst for this suspension, and Danielle claims she had no advance notice of the disciplinary action against her son.
The Laveen School District has released a lengthy statement for this situation, calling what occurred on the fateful April day, an “improper restraint.” The District added, “In late April, a district-level administrator was asked to come to Vista Del Sur Accelerated Academy to help with a student. While the student was being escorted to the in-school detention room, the administrator perceived the student was trying to exit the campus. While trying to stop the student from leaving campus, the administrator applied an improper restraint technique by grabbing hold of the student’s arm and shoulder to prevent the student from doing so. The student struggled to pull away from the administrator and the two fell to the ground. While on the ground, the administrator leaned over the student for approximately 40 seconds in an effort to calm the student. When the student stood up, the student asked and was permitted to call the student’s mother.”
While Jordan was attempting to handle things diplomatically, she and her lawyer have escalated matters in the court of public opinion – and with local law enforcement. This week’s appearance before the Governing Board was Jordan’s second, and she also held a press conference to share her grievances with the perceived lack of action. Additionally, it was revealed that Jordan’s team sent a letter to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, requesting that her office step in for a potential criminal investigation.
Both sides have pointed blame at the other for a perceived lack of communication to remedy the wrong.
In the District’s statement and during the Governing Board meeting, the school official at the center of this controversy was cryptically referred to in past tense, but little information was shared by members as to why this individual suddenly became a “former” administrator. This lack of clarity and transparency was not lost on Jordan and her team.
The boy’s mother noted that her son was removed from the school where the altercation took place. He appears to now attend a different school. Many questions remain on all sides as to what happened, what is now taking place, and how to make this situation right for the future.
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
