25-year-old Aaron Hacecky was sentenced to 90 days in jail and two years of probation for pleading guilty to Cruelty to an Animal, a Class 6 felony, for beating his girlfriend’s black Labrador named Buddy to death in Mitchell last year.
The incident involved Hacecky punching the dog in the head while it was chained up and duct-taped.
Despite arguments from the prosecutor for a harsher sentence, citing the brutality of the crime and
Hacecky’s lack of remorse, the defense highlighted Hacecky’s lack of prior criminal record and his seeking of treatment after the incident.
The judge noted that the crime was not a momentary loss of temper, given the premeditated nature of the duct taping and breaks taken by Hacecky during the beating.