In a previous update we reported on the assaults committed by rodeo thugs against SHARK investigators in Walker County, Texas.  Investigator Stephanie Wood was stalked, repeatedly harassed and threatened with jail by an out-of-uniform, off-duty goon named John Hooks.  Hooks was determined to stop Stephanie's videotaping of the rodeo, and he was willing to break the same laws he was supposed to enforce to do it.

Both Hooks and SHARK investigator Janet Enoch called the Walker County Sheriff's Department.  When local sheriff's deputies told Hooks that there was nothing illegal about videotaping, Hooks continued to harass Stephanie, going so far as to recruit other people to assist in the harassment, some of whom were rodeo contestants, in spite of a rule in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) stating that its members may not harass spectators.

Later in the day, Janet Enoch and I were both harassed and assaulted by rodeo contestant and thug Marty Jones.  Jones, seen at right, also issued a threat about our leaving the rodeo, prompting Janet to again call the police.  Later in the evening, after the assaults by Marty Jones, Janet called police again.  Incredibly, the woman on the switchboard scolded Janet for, as she put it, "not leaving earlier when you had the chance."

Now, in a demonstration of just how pervasive the corruption of Walker County is, and in spite of clear and incontrovertible video evidence of the assaults, Walker County District Attorney David P. Weeks has declared that he will NOT file any charge against rodeo thug/assailant Marty Jones, calling the assaults, "much ado about nothing."

One can only imagine what the charges would have been had the harassment, attempted intimidation, and assaults happened the other way around.  In that case I expect SHARK investigators would have had felony charges lodged against us!

Click here to see a short video of the criminal behavior of rodeo thug Marty Jones captured by SHARK cameras.  

As you will see by reading on our battle is far from over.  We will need your financial support to continue to document the abuses, to educate the public and to power the campaigns to end rodeo sponsorships by corporate sponsors like AT&T, Coca-Cola and Dodge Trucks, and government entities like the US Army.

As reported some time back, I unceremoniously dropped Cingular/AT&T's cell phone service due to the company's sponsorship of rodeos.  AT&T, through a collection company, is now actively harassing me to pay a $175.00 termination charge that I will never pay.  I'm not worried about the possibility of a hit to my credit rating because rodeo victims are worth that and much more.
 
I figure that every call from the collectors is an opportunity to talk about the issue.  The cycle is fairly established at this point.  A phone drone calls and tries to lay on the pressure, pointing out that extra charges are now being applied to what they say I owe.  I tell them they will get absolutely nothing - not one penny - and why.  They try to get nasty, and then are totally shocked when I just tell them to take me to court so I can tell a judge about their unethical practices. 
 
AT&T has a history of screwing and intimidating customers, so they think they're a pretty tough bunch.  What they apparently haven't run into before is someone who is up for the fight.  These AT&T creeps can call forever and threaten whatever, but they'll never see another penny from me.  I hope you'll join SHARK in telling AT&T to stick their rodeo sponsorship and their business where the sun doesn't shine.

Go to ATTcruelty.com to see video of the Tiger Truck at AT&T, the "AT&T Cruelty" video, photos, letters, and what you can do to help this campaign.
 

We are very happy to report that PETA is aiding SHARK's campaign to terminate the US Army's sponsorship of rodeo, and the effort is paying off.  With SHARK's video footage and pictures as a foundation, PETA is working with lobbyists to inform caring politicians about this outrage. 

It is an indefensible fact that while the Army is sending American men and women soldiers to Afghanistan and Iraq with inadequate body armor and insufficiently armored vehicles, it is also sponsoring the rodeo mafia to the tune of over $2,000,000 a year.
 
U.S. Representatives Christopher Shays (Democrat from Connecticut) and Tom Lantos (Democrat from California), members of the Congressional Friends of Animals Caucus, sent a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates and acting Army Secretary Pete Geren expressing their concerns.  This will hopefully lead to increased pressure for the termination of the Army's sponsorship of rodeo.
 
At right, this calf roping abuser wears the U.S. Army logo as he abuses baby cows under Army sponsorship.  Is this the kind of thing our military should be proud to spend tax dollars to support?

You can voice your support on this issue to Representative Shays by calling his Washington D.C. office at 202/225-5541, or you can send him an E-mail through his web site at
http://www.house.gov/shays/contact/index.htm
 
You can voice your support of this issue to Representative Lantos by calling his Washington D.C. office at 202-225-3531 or writing to:
Tom Lantos, Washington Office
2413 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515.

For more information on this campaign, please go to ArmyAnimalAbuse.com.