RALEIGH, N.C. -- Several highway patrol members testified in court Tuesday about the type of behavior and training seen in the cell phone video of Charles Jones and his former dog Richo.

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Video of the incident that got him fired was shown during the first day of the hearing Monday.

 

On Tuesday, Jones’s attorney brought in witness after witness to make the point that aggressive dogs need aggressive training. Trooper James Pickard, who is a dog handler, said he knew Jones and his former dog Richo.  

 

“Richo was a manic on a lead…I’ve seen a lot of crazy things happen with that dog,” said Pickard.

 

Many of the highway patrol members said they’ve seen similar training techniques as demonstrated in the cell phone video. Some said they have kicked dogs and some said, while they’ve never done exactly what Charles Jones did when he left Richo to hang for a few seconds, they did not consider it abusive.

 

Jack O’Hale, Jones’ attorney, showed a video from the Baltimore Police Department showing a training technique called an “Alpha Roll” which is a way to gain control of an Alpha dog, like Richo.

 

State Attorney Ashby Ray however went through a list of other highway patrol members who were on record saying the treatment of Richo, as seen in the cell phone video, was “excessive.”

 

Lt. Col. Cecil Lockley, the Deputy Commander of the N.C. Highway Patrol, said while no one ever told him to fire Jones, he felt pressure from the Governor’s Office to terminate Jones. Lockley said he regretted his decision and said,” I did the wrong thing for the right reason.”

 

Charles Jones was dismissed last September amidst allegations of animal abuse. The former sergeant was accused of kicking and beating the police dog named Richo, and leaving to hang for a few seconds by its leash and collar. The incident was captured on cell phone video.

 

Jack O’Hale, Jones' attorney, said dog training can be rough and that his client did not violate any rules or regulations in the Highway Patrol training manual. He said the types of dogs the highway patrol buys are naturally aggressive and require special training so the handler is dominant.

 

“You cannot identify, no one can identify in this process, any established highway patrol policy or procedure, trained protocol that Mr. Jones has violated,” O’Hale said.

 

Capt. Ken Castelloe, who recommended Jones be fired, also was called to testify by state attorney Ashby Ray.

 

"I don't believe Charles Jones would ever hurt that dog,” Castelloe said.

 

Castelloe said his decision was not based on the first video of Jones kicking Richo, but the second video of Jones leaving Richo to hang for a few seconds by his leash and collar after the dog had dropped his toy.

 

“Leaving the dog hanging there after he had received the reward, and reached down and picked it up, that to me is unacceptable,” Castelloe said.

 

O'Hale insinuated there was pressure from Gov. Easley's Office to fire Jones. Castelloe and Secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety Brian Beatty, who made the ultimate decision to fire Jones, denied that allegation.

 

“The actions in this case were disturbing,” Beatty said. “I don’t think there could ever be an excuse under those circumstances for that kind of behavior.”

Jones is expected to testify in court tomorrow.