Man Accused Of Stabbing Puppy In Face Appears In Court

DENVER (CBS4)-The man accused of stabbing his puppy in the face appeared in court on Wednesday. Matthew Weatherspoon is charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. He claims he did it because the dog bit him.

In court, the district attorney said they expect Weatherspoon to cover all the medical bills for the dog, named Diamond. That could mean a $6,000 bill in addition to other costs that allow the dog to be adopted by a new family.

Diamond was severely injured. She is recovering from lacerations to her face, abdomen, and a broken leg. Doctors expect Diamond to make a full recovery.

Weatherspoon wasn't alone when he appeared in Denver County Court. A group of animal rights activists are following the case closely. They plan to be in court every time Weatherspoon appears to fight for justice for the dog.

"They're defenseless. They've done nothing. All they want is your love, that's all they want, for people to do the things they do to animals is just maddening," said Prayers for Diamond spokeswoman Debbie Lay.

The group, Prayers for Diamond, has given the District Attorney's office an 8,000 signature petition, asking for the maximum penalty to be pursued. They don't believe Weatherspoon's defense.

"If it's 3 in the morning, why does a dog that you've had for 6 months just turn around and attack you? Something else was going on," said Lay.

Weatherspoon is scheduled to be back in court July 28.