Animal Rights Activists Pack Alleged Dog Tosser's Bond Hearing

OAK LAWN, IL — An Oak Lawn man accused of throwing two toy poodles from the roof of a hospital parking garage appeared for a bond hearing Tuesday before a courtroom packed with animal shelter workers, volunteers and dog lovers. One of the dogs died, and the other survived.

Edward Hanania, 22, appeared with his attorney, Charles Ingles, before Cook County Judge Donald Havis on two felony charges of aggravated animal cruelty. He is on probation for a drug conviction, according to court records.

The prosecutor said that on May 19, a woman found two lost poodles in Chicago. She placed ads on various lost pet Facebook groups, including pictures of the dogs, later identified as Angel and Guero. The next day, Hanania arranged to meet the woman. He gave her a $20 reward and then took the dogs, according to the allegations.

After Hanania took the dogs, he drove over to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, the prosecutor said. From the fifth story of Parking Garage C, Hanania is alleged to have dropped both dogs to the ground below. Guero, a 6-year-old toy poodle, hit the concrete and died. The younger dog, Angel, the daughter of Guero, landed in the grass. Angel suffered broken legs and head trauma.

The prosecutor said the event was captured on hospital surveillance video. Hanania does not have any connection to the dogs or their owner.

Ingles said his client is a graduate of Oak Lawn Community High School and is enrolled full time at Moraine Valley Community College. He lives with his family in Oak Lawn and is also a licensed real estate agent.

Hanania was sentenced in March to 24 months probation for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. According to court records, Hanania was arrested for selling aluminum foil balls of heroin and cocaine to a confidential source in June 2016. Two of the sales took place within the boundaries of Brandt Park and Parkland Preparatory Academy, an alternative school for special education-eligible students in Oak Lawn.

Havis set bail at $350,000. The prosecutor also asked for special conditions of bond, that he have no contact with companion animals while his case in pending. Any pets currently living in Hanania’s residence must also be surrendered to animal control authorities. Hanania is due back in court June 19 in Bridgeview.

Pet advocates present in court started to applaud, only to be quickly admonished by the judge.

“This is not Romper Room,” Havis said.

After the hearing, Ingles told reporters he was a “family friend” of the defendant. Ingles said he did not know Hanania as a child.

“He said he didn’t do it. I haven’t seen the evidence or surveillance video,” Ingles said. “I just did the bond hearing, like a technician. I just met him 15 minutes ago.”

Ingles did not know if Hanania or his family owned pets. The attorney described his client as “nervous” in court and "feeling bad letting his family down.”

“I have two cats and a dog,” Ingles said.

“Well you better keep them away from him,” an angry woman told the attorney.