One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Some Jerk Accused Of Swinging Rabbit By Ears And Lighting It On Fire
Juan Lemus arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty (Photo courtesy of the Santa Paula Police Department)
A man was arrested on charges of animal cruelty against a rabbit on the day before Easter. Just before 8 a.m. on Saturday, Santa Paula police responded to reports that a man was swinging a rabbit around by the ears and lighting the animal on fire, according to the Ventura County Star. Before they arrived, however, the suspect reportedly fled on a bicycle.
Police soon found the suspect—identified as 29-year-old Juan Lemus—nearby in the 300 block of South Steckel Drive. Lemus told the officers that the rabbit was already dead when he found it in the street, and that he had lit a piece of paper on fire, not the rabbit, according to the L.A. Times.
The rabbit's body was later found next to a smoldering pile of papers in a dirt lot where Lemus had first been seen by witnesses. According to the Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center, the animal died from blunt force trauma to the head.
Lemus was arrested on suspicion of animal cruelty, arson and burglary. He was also charged with possession of a methamphetamine pipe and, perhaps not shockingly, for being under the influence of meth.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
