Defendant Sentenced to Prison for Stabbing Sheriff’s K-9 Officer Jedi
DATE: October 2, 2020
CASE: Jackie Ray Burke (Case #18FE009949)
PROSECUTOR: Principal Criminal Attorney Hilary Bagley- Franzoia, Animal Cruelty Unit
The Honorable Patrick Marlette sentenced Jackie Ray Burke to 17 years in state prison after Burke pled to felony causing serious injury to a police canine. Burke’s sentence was enhanced due to a prior strike conviction.
On May 19, 2018, Burke led officers on a vehicle pursuit which ended in a parking lot on Fair Oaks Boulevard in Carmichael. After dozens of commands were ignored by Burke, non-lethal means of apprehension were prepared by sheriff’s deputies. When Burke finally exited the vehicle, deputies were not aware that he was holding a knife and concealing it behind his back. K-9 Officer Jedi was deployed and Burke immediately stabbed Jedi in the face. Jedi was rushed to an emergency veterinary hospital suffering a laceration to his left eye area. Burke was apprehended after a brief struggle.
Jedi underwent surgery to repair his lacerated eyelid, which ultimately healed as well as a minor corneal laceration. He is back in service with the Sheriff’s Office. It was determined that Burke was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the incident.