# Dear Minnesota dog butcher... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 15, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091 "2007-03-15T21:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/61 "2007-03-17T01:54:30Z")
[QUOTE=col\_10022] I wonder what that 17 year old girl did to make someone hate her so much. It doesn’t seem like a random act of violence so I wonder what makes a person do seomthing like that. [/QUOTE] Stop. Right. There. Nobody **makes** anyone do anything. Nobody can **make** someone cut off a dog’s head. And send it to the owner. And package it as if it were a gift. Ms. Brown is **not** responsible for what this person did. ---
**Author:** ![Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Sophistry\_and\_Illusion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sophistry_and_Illusion)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/62 "2007-03-17T03:56:08Z")
[QUOTE=Guinastasia] **Sophistry and Illusion** , can you honestly BLAME her? If this is how her fellow humans treat her, why would she WANT to have any friends besides her dog? And if ANYONE is a loser, it’s the sick fucks that would do such a thing to someone just for kicks. [/QUOTE] Oh, I definitely don’t blame her. I think the entire situation is sad and pathetic. And I wouldn’t describe the killers as losers. More like evil twisted fucks. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/63 "2007-03-17T04:02:45Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] Stop. Right. There. Nobody **makes** anyone do anything. Nobody can **make** someone cut off a dog’s head. And send it to the owner. And package it as if it were a gift. Ms. Brown is **not** responsible for what this person did. [/QUOTE] OK what **motivated** a person to do something like that? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/64 "2007-03-17T04:10:51Z")
[QUOTE=Carnick] If you actually read that thread you’d know why. Per Giraffe’s advice, we should self moderate threads we don’t approve of. This _is_ the Pit if you haven’t noticed. How is the OP’s two lines and a link equivalent to “blowing off steam”? Looks like trolling to me. [/QUOTE] Who’s the troller and who’s the trollee? Sometimes you are so angry about something you can’t work up more than a two line rant and you need a little input from others to work up the proper head of steam. I see nothing trollish or wrong with that. No, I didn’t read the recreational outrage thread because I only read pit threads on subjects I have interest in, another meta-rant about the rants here didn’t interest me. In the past few years that I’ve been here I’ve read many pit thread and there are always plenty of posts in the threads from posters who are “self moderating” and expressing their annoyance that anyone posted a rant on the subject. _That’s nothing new at all._ Most threads devolve into the exact same argument everytime because of this. I’ve always wondered why people waste so much time complaining about a thread in said thread when the easier thing is to ignore it and not keep bumping the thread. If no one is interested in the thread and don’t bother posting about it in the thread, it will disappear a lot quicker. Anyway, to avoid falling into that trap of doing the same thing I’m complaining about, I won’t say anything more on that matter here. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/65 "2007-03-17T05:09:15Z")
[QUOTE=col\_10022] OK what **motivated** a person to do something like that? [/QUOTE] No. Someone **chose** to kill a dog, and **chose** to taunt and frighten the dog’s owner. He may have been angry at her, although given his actions, he sounds like someone who could get angry for arbitrary reasons that wouldn’t bother most people. I can’t imagine a scenario in which this would be eye-for-an-eye. You don’t kill an animal to get back at someone, if you’re right in the head, that is. (Or unless you’re mobbed up, but I don’t think that’s the case either.) And he may not have known her at all. He may have matched the live dog with the missing-dog notices, tortured the dog for his own benefit, and mailed the “gift” for the sake of fucking with a stranger’s mind. In which case, she did nothing to provoke him. The question is, “What kind of person would choose to do this?” I don’t know where you’re getting “What kind of person would have this done to them?” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/66 "2007-03-17T20:39:46Z")
[QUOTE=col\_10022] OK what **motivated** a person to do something like that? [/QUOTE] Desire to be incredibly sadistic pricks? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/67 "2007-03-17T22:04:40Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] Stop. Right. There. Nobody **makes** anyone do anything. Nobody can **make** someone cut off a dog’s head. And send it to the owner. And package it as if it were a gift. Ms. Brown is **not** responsible for what this person did. [/QUOTE] Okay, then, how about this? I wonder what incident or occurance triggered this asshole’s innate sadistic desires to be cruel to this poor girl, assuming that she was known to him/her and that she was specifically targeted beforehand to be vicimized? I think it’s ridiculous to try to infer from **col\_10022’s** post that he was trying somehow to shift the blame or responsibilty onto the victim. It’s natural to be curious–probably having something to do with self-preservation instincts passed down through the millenia–what kind of incident or act, if any, precipitated the horrendous act of crueltry perpetrated on this young girl. The fact that she _may_ have said or done something that triggered the miscreant’s sadistic behavior in no way makes her culpable, and to wonder what this event (if any) was, in no way implies a desire to lay the blame, even partially, on the victim. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/68 "2007-03-17T22:35:56Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] The question is, “What kind of person would choose to do this?” I don’t know where you’re getting “What kind of person would have this done to them?” [/QUOTE] 😕 That’s not what he said. He said, “what **motivated** a person to do something like that?” And you actually answered his question, or took a shot at it – he may have been angry at her, he may have seen the posters and decided to torture her, in either case, major sick-o – so I don’t see why there’s all the angst about how he asked it. It’s a perfectly valid question. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/69 "2007-03-17T23:33:07Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] 😕 That’s not what he said. He said, “what **motivated** a person to do something like that?” And you actually answered his question, or took a shot at it – he may have been angry at her, he may have seen the posters and decided to torture her, in either case, major sick-o – so I don’t see why there’s all the angst about how he asked it. It’s a perfectly valid question. [/QUOTE] Isn’t that what criminal psychology is all about? After all, establishing motive seems to be an important part of the legal system. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/70 "2007-03-18T08:09:56Z")
[QUOTE=Starving Artist] And I hope that poor kid gets tons of gifts and support so she’ll know there are good people out there who care about her. [/QUOTE] If you want to send Crystal a condolence card, here’s some [contact information](http://www.veggieboards.com/boards/showpost.php?p=1528905&postcount=22). ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/71 "2007-03-18T08:37:05Z")
Thank you very much, **Washoe**. I’ve been ruminating over just this very thing and wondering how best to go about it. I’d like to do something for her but I’ve been unsure what would be best. I think I’ll write to Mary Lynn Smith and ask her advice since she has firsthand knowledge of Crystal’s circumstances. Thanks again. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/72 "2007-03-18T09:13:20Z")
[QUOTE=Starving Artist] She’s rather attractive and I wouldn’t be surprised if the asshole’s either an ex-boyfriend or someone who hit on her and struck out. [/QUOTE] That was very first thought also. If and when they catch this piece of subhuman detritus, I don’t think he’ll fare too well in the slammer. About 50% of all prison inmates have antisocial personality disorder, and people with this disorder are abnormally concerned with the welfare of animals. Hermann Goering is frequently cited in the abnormal psych texts as an example of this characteristic. When he gets to prison, I highly suspect he’ll be (heh heh) dog meat. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/73 "2007-03-18T09:31:05Z")
[QUOTE=Washoe] That was very first thought also. If and when they catch this piece of subhuman detritus, I don’t think he’ll fare too well in the slammer. About 50% of all prison inmates have antisocial personality disorder, and people with this disorder are abnormally concerned with the welfare of animals. Hermann Goering is frequently cited in the abnormal psych texts as an example of this characteristic. When he gets to prison, I highly suspect he’ll be (heh heh) dog meat. [/QUOTE] Indeed! I’ve thought about this very thing myself. Imagine the scenario: Muscular, tattooed, weightlifting murderer: “So, what’re you in for?” Dog-killing asshole: "Uh…I, like, killed this girl’s dog and cut off its head and sent it to her wrapped up as a Valentine’s present. I put candy and everything in there. Even faked her out with this card telling her congratulations and batteries were included. Heh-heh…she like fell for it totally…teach that little bitch not to talk to me! And now they’re making this big fucking deal out of it and put me in here. Muscular, tattooed, weightlifting murderer: “Yeah, well, ya know, sport…you better sleep light from now on 'cause me and some of my friends here are gonna fuck you up good first chance we get…know what I mean?” Dog-killing asshole: " ☹ " ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/74 "2007-03-18T18:42:15Z")
I thought we had discussed these kinds of things in another thread, and the consensus was that inmates getting revenge on other inmates, for whatever crime (child molestation being a big one) was largely a myth? ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/75 "2007-03-18T19:06:56Z")
:: sigh :: You’re probably right…but we can dream, can’t we? 😉 Still, I would imagine even the threat that exists from the knowledge that these kinds of guys will be gunning for them if they get the chance would be significant punishment on its own. And I can’t imagine that anyone who has perpetrated such a crime is going to be treated with anything but scorn, disdain and ominous hostility by the genuinely bad-ass inmates who make up much of the prison population. Even if he eventually emerges without a scratch, I imagine his life behind bars will not be a pleasant one. ---
**Author:** ![Washoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ecae2f/32.png) [@Washoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Washoe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/76 "2007-03-18T20:30:19Z")
I just went to Wal-Mart and got a generic sympathy card for Crystal. I’ll mail it tomorrow morning. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/77 "2007-03-18T20:38:34Z")
Thanks. I’d be interested to know what, if anything, you hear in return. I emailed the reporter in your link to see if there was anything I could do or contribute that might be helpful given the unique circumstances of this girl’s life. I’m hoping to hear back in the next day or two, as I’m sure her office is closed on the weekend and that she’s being kept rather busy on this story. If she’s okay with it (the reporter, that is), I’ll post here what she has to say. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/78 "2007-03-18T20:50:33Z")
[QUOTE=Starving Artist] Thank you very much, **Washoe**. I’ve been ruminating over just this very thing and wondering how best to go about it. I’d like to do something for her but I’ve been unsure what would be best. I think I’ll write to Mary Lynn Smith and ask her advice since she has firsthand knowledge of Crystal’s circumstances. Thanks again. 🙂 [/QUOTE] Just don’t send her one of those “I heart my dogs head” mugs. I am sooooooo going to hell for that ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/79 "2007-03-19T01:44:59Z")
[QUOTE=Rilchiam] No. Someone **chose** to kill a dog, and **chose** to taunt and frighten the dog’s owner. He may have been angry at her, although given his actions, he sounds like someone who could get angry for arbitrary reasons that wouldn’t bother most people. I can’t imagine a scenario in which this would be eye-for-an-eye. You don’t kill an animal to get back at someone, if you’re right in the head, that is. (Or unless you’re mobbed up, but I don’t think that’s the case either.) And he may not have known her at all. He may have matched the live dog with the missing-dog notices, tortured the dog for his own benefit, and mailed the “gift” for the sake of fucking with a stranger’s mind. In which case, she did nothing to provoke him. The question is, “What kind of person would choose to do this?” I don’t know where you’re getting “What kind of person would have this done to them?” [/QUOTE] Well if we’re going to traipse in the land of hypotheticals, she may have been a terrible bully in school. She may have made some fat girl’s life miserable by constantly making fun of her weight and make crude sexual jokes about her. She may have physically bullied this fat chick. She may have hit the fat chick over the head with a bat for upsetting her dog one day. In which case the dog still doesn’t deserve to die but this girl deserves the misery visited upon her. The quetion is “Was this some sick fuck doing some sick shit or did the owner of the dog do something that would drive a normal person to do something sick like this?” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2007, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091/80 "2007-03-19T12:58:31Z")
Dude, it was her THERAPY DOG. And even if she was a total bitch on wheels, the response was total overkill. It was sadistic and disturbed. The type of person who would do such a thing does not sound to me like someone who would be above tormenting some random girl just for kicks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dear-minnesota-dog-butcher/396091.md?page=5)