Idaho Falls man acquitted in animal cruelty case

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IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A jury in eastern Idaho has found a man not guilty of animal cruelty for shooting and killing a pit bull earlier this year.

The Post Register (http://bit.ly/2aH58pZ ) reports that 32-year-old Patrick Byrnes was charged with misdemeanor counts of cruelty to animal and discharging a fire within Idaho Falls' city limits in April. On Friday, a 12-person jury found Byrnes not guilty on both counts.

Byrnes had told police officers that he had shot the dog, named Jack, with a single-action .44 Magnum because it was being aggressive. The dog's owner, Marcus Beck, disagreed with Byrnes' claims and countered that his dog was being friendly.

Byrnes' attorney, Allen Browning, says the jury deliberated for roughly 90 minutes following a two-day trial.

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Information from: Post Register, http://www.postregister.com