by KYW's Steve Tawa
A Philadelphia family court judge has found a 15-year-old boy guilty of reduced misdemeanor, rather than felony charges, in connection with an alleged dog extortion case.
He could be placed in a reform school setting when sentenced.
Edna, a brown beagle mix, disappeared on Halloween from an Italian market neighborhood, and her owner, Bill Whiting, put up posters promising a reward for her return. Ten days later, he got a call from someone claiming to have Edna and then a second call saying he had killed her.
Lawyer John D'Angelo defended the 15-year-old, acknowledging the boy knew about Edna because of the posters that were put up in several neighborhoods:
"He continues to deny he made the phone call, never saw the dog, never touched the dog."
Whiting looked at the young defendant, and then remarked outside of the courtroom:
"He doesn't look like a kid who has light in his eyes. There's just something that's vacant."
Judge Robert Rebstock found the defendant guilty of theft by extortion, terroristic threats, harassment, and conspiracy.
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