Sheriff Wayne Ivey, Satellite Police Chief Jeff Pearson Arrest Man In ‘Horrific’ Animal Cruelty Case

By  //  February 26, 2019

Ivey: most difficult things I have ever had to watch in my 39 years of Law Enforcement

On Monday, myself and Chief Jeff Pearson of the Satellite Beach Police Department personally walked James Cordell Doughty Suthann into the Brevard County Jail for the horrific acts of cruelty he did to a Service Dog on February 6, 2019.

Editor’s Note: The following article is written by Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – On Monday, myself and Chief Jeff Pearson of the Satellite Beach Police Department personally walked James Cordell Doughty Suthann into the Brevard County Jail for the horrific acts of cruelty he did to a Service Dog on February 6, 2019.

The charges stem from a violent incident that occurred at a local grooming salon where Suthann was working as a contract employee.

During a grooming appointment, Suthann became angry when an 8-year-old German Shepard Service Dog would not stand still as Suthann was trying to complete the grooming process.

The entire incident is captured on video and at one point you see Suthann cinch the pets head down so tight that the dog could no longer move and was obviously in pain.

Further in the video, Suthann grabs the dogs tail and completely lifts him off the ground causing the pets tail to be twisted a full 360 degrees and to be broken to the extent it could not be reattached.

James Cordell Doughty Suthann. (BCSO Image)

To make matters worse at the end of the incident Suthann had the audacity to strike the dog in the back of the head with the nozzle from the hose he was using to bathe him.

The video is so graphic that I will not post it on Facebook, but trust me when I tell you that it is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to watch in my 39 years of Law Enforcement because of the horrific and cruel way the pet was treated.

The pet, “TT” is a Service Dog who’s owner is a disabled veteran who has PTSD. The owner was devastated by the acts of cruelty against his pet and companion.

Because of the significant level of injury, “TT” had to have emergency surgery to amputate her tail and is in the process of recovering. (BCSO image)

Because of the significant level of injury, “TT” had to have emergency surgery to amputate her tail and is in the process of recovering.

Suthann was arrested earlier today for “Felony Cruelty to Animals” by Investigator Doug Scragg of the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office Animal Cruelty Unit as part of a joint investigation with members of the Satellite Beach Police Department.

Arrests In Brevard County: February 25, 2019 – Suspects Presumed Innocent Until Proven GuiltyRelated Story:
Arrests In Brevard County: February 25, 2019 – Suspects Presumed Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Suthann was subsequently transported to the Brevard County Jail where Chief Pearson and I were waiting to personally walk him into the jail and to the Booking Desk as Chief Pearson feels the same way as I do about those that harm animals in our community!

Unfortunately, the maximum bond that could be placed on Suthann was $2,000, because they don’t let me personally set the bond amounts for criminals like this guy!

Please know that the owners of the Grooming Facility where this incident occurred had no knowledge that Suthann was capable of this type of activity and upon learning of the incident, took immediate and appropriate action to have him no longer at their facility.

As I have said before…if you harm an animal in Brevard County we will take your butt straight to jail!

Brevard County Sheriff Wayne Ivey, center, and Chief Jeff Pearson, right, of the Satellite Beach Police Department personally walked James Cordell Doughty Suthann, left, into the Brevard County Jail for the horrific acts of cruelty he did to a Service Dog on February 6.

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