Yes, you read that correctly. Recently the question below was posted to the SC Bar online resource, www.SC.FreeLegalAnswers.org. It is a real head scratcher ( no pun intended) and although not typical of the questions asked it would not be unusual to a general practice attorney! Email me with suggested responses: Robinspd@law.sc.edu or feel free to join us for the next Friday Blitz on Feb 15th at 2:30 in Room 389. Sign up link here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0445a8a82ea1fc1-friday

Recently my chicken was stolen from my yard by my neighbor. The neighbor then drove up the road and threw the chicken out of the window of his vehicle while it was moving. This neighbor also videoed the act and I have the video in my possession. I went to my local law enforcement officials to file a report to which they told me that since it was a free range chicken and that I can’t prove that the chicken was taken from my yard, that basically the only thing the neighbor can be charged with is animal cruelty and animal abandonment. The neighbor was charged with those two crimes but was found not guilty. He was found not guilty on the charge for animal abandonment because he can’t abandon an animal that’s not his. He was found not guilty on the charge of animal cruelty because “you cant abuse a livestock animal”. So now I’m stuck, I would like to see this man be punished for his crime. I do understand that he can’t be charged for the same crime twice but I’m curious about civil court. Animal control has a video of my neighbor admitting that he knew that the animal belonged to me. Im just curios as to what my options are now. I understand that it is a chicken and that they are slaughtered everyday for people to eat, and I have no problem with that. My issue is that the animal belonged to me and was my property that was taken by someone that has no right to take it. This same neighbor gets away with everything in my town, the local officials are corrupt but again I have no hard evidence to prove anything so that argument is useless. Any help or advice that can be given to me will be much appreciated.