GUNTERSVILLE– A Marshall County judge sentenced John Patrick Bannan to 10 years for killing his neighbor’s dog, Jack. A jury convicted Bannan of aggravated cruelty to animals in August.
Circuit Judge Matt Elliott imposed the maximum term Monday, Oct. 5, according to District Attorney Jennifer Bray’s office. However, the split sentence requires Bannan to serve two years in prison. He will then serve 36 months of supervised probation.
The office also said Bannan cannot receive parole or good-time credit during the two-year prison term. Officers then took him into custody immediately after the hearing.
Prosecutors said Bannan beat and killed Jack, an elderly Australian shepherd belonging to a neighbor. In August, a Marshall County jury convicted him on one count of aggravated cruelty to animals.
At trial, Assistant District Attorneys Riley Chandler and Adam Culbert acknowledged that farmers can protect livestock. However, they said the evidence showed Jack had never threatened Bannan’s animals. They said he also posed no threat when Bannan attacked him. Their argument included Bannan’s own testimony, according to the district attorney’s office.
At sentencing, Elliott addressed Bannan’s claim that he acted to protect livestock. The judge said the facts at trial did not support that defense, which the jury had rejected.
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