Kennesaw Man Sentenced to Five Years in Jail for Killing Dog

MARIETTA, GA -- A Kennesaw man was sentenced Thursday to five years in jail for killing a dog.

Lee Bishop Bullock, 28, pled guilty Thursday afternoon to two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals.

On June 9, 2015, Bullock was living in an apartment on Busbee Parkway with the dog’s owner. He was home alone with the 10-pound dog that afternoon when he slammed the animal’s head into the wall, knocking out teeth, and then threw the dog off the second-floor balcony to the patio below. The six-year-old animal died en route to a veterinarian’s office.

During the hearing Thursday afternoon, Cobb Assistant DA Sherwin Figueroa pointed out that the defendant was already on felony probation at the time of the incident and that he told various stories about how the animal was hurt, at one point claiming the dog had bitten him, despite not having any bite marks.

“He has shown absolutely no remorse,” she said in asking for a sentence of 10 years, with five years to serve in custody. ADA Figueroa is one of two attorneys in the Cobb DA’s Office who specialize in animal abuse cases in addition to handling regular courtroom cases.

Bullock’s lawyer, Noah Pines, told the court that Bullock has been addicted to prescription drugs and was taking amphetamines on the day in question. The defendant also tearfully told the judge that he’s ready to get his life together and asked to be allowed to enter a drug-treatment program through the Department of Corrections.

Cobb Superior Court Judge RobertLeonard agreed to recommend Bullock for the treatment program but also ordered him to serve five years in prison followed by five years on probation. 

“I feel like you’re taking one problem and blaming another problem,” Leonard said. “This is more related to character than drugs.”