NEW ORLEANS -- Criminal charges could come as soon as Friday against New Orleans police officers in the death of two police dogs, sources close to the case say.
The Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office has been looking into the K-9 deaths since last year. The district attorney's involvement came after an internal investigation by police found no wrongdoing by the dog's handlers.
Primo, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois, apparently died of heat stroke after being left unattended by his handler in a police K-9 unit outside of the officer's home. The dog tore up the vehicle's seats trying to escape.
In another K-9 death last spring, a dog named Fanthom fell 17 floors down an elevator shaft in the abandoned Charity Hospital building.
The Metropolitan Crime Commission asked the DA's office to review the cases for possible cruelty to animal charges after uncovering signs of a cover-up by the department.
