In-focus

Law challenged on teasing police dogs

Dunya News

A man in Ohio charged with teasing a police dog by barking at it says the law violates free speech.

Jim Hardin, the attorney for 25-year-old Ryan James Stephens says his client was not striking the animal. Hardin said that the barking may not be an intelligent speech but is speech none the less as he questioned the validity of a city law that bars taunting police dogs.A police officer investigating a car crash at a pub reported that he heard the police dog barking when he found Stephens making barking noises and hissing at a dog inside the police car.According to the officers report Stephens was quoted saying the dog started it.