The Verdict

A jury took less than an hour to find Raymond Peebler not guilty of animal abuse for drop-kicking a neighbor's puppy eight feet to its death.

The 50-year-old defendant looked down at the defense table but did not react when a court clerk announced that the jury returned an acquittal on the charge of animal abuse.

During an appearance on Court TV a short time later, Peebler said he was relieved by the acquittal.

"I'm still going to be saddened by what has happened, but I'm not going to hang my head down in shame as I was before," he said.