The State Attorney s Office has dropped its case against a man who reportedly beat a dog so severely with a fence post that the animal had to be put down.
The reason: Given the circumstances, Florida law allowed Ocala resident Shawn Lemarr Benson to dowhat he did.
Phantom, a 40-pound pit bull, died on Aug. 12. According to a report from Assistant State Attorney Barbara Harris, a law enforcement official spoke with the dog s owner, Phoebe Bennett. She said Benson, 46, was helping her expand a dog kennel in her backyard when Phantom snatched a cat named Puppy that was walking by the kennel.