Actor Steven Seagal Sued for Driving Tank into Arizona Home, Killing Puppy

[Xipe Totec]

The story of Steven Seagal accompanying Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s raid on an Arizona man suspected of cock-fighting seems almost humorous. Almost, that is, until you think about police driving into your own home with a tank and killing your dog, which is what happened when Seagal drove a tank into Jesus Llovera’s house.

Seagal told a local radio station that animal cruelty was one of his pet peeves, and since the bust was an animal cruelty bust – which apparently requires the use of several armored cars, a tank, and dozens of sheriff’s deputies in full riot gear – Seagal decided to go along for the ride…and kill hundreds of roosters and a puppy in the process.

So much for animal cruelty. It turns out, of course, that Seagal was just joining the ranks of reality TV stars, blending the line between reality and television, and the line between entertainment and justice. And now he’s being sued to the tune of $100,000 by Llovera, who is also demanding a written apology from Seagal to his children for killing their puppy.

Seagal has also accompanied Arpaio’s sheriffs in cracking down on illegal immigrants. I guess being a tough guy in the movies is just never enough.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2011/08/31/actor-steven-seagal-sued-for-driving-tank-into-arizona-home-killing-puppy/

[LiberalFighter]

1. The guy is crass. Does he really an actor?

Everything I've seen him in his character is the same.

[Xipe Totec]

5. One of my favorite movies is Air Force One

In the first few minutes of the movie Stephen Seagal attempts a rescue, falls out of the airplane, and plunges to his death.

Ah, good times.

[taterguy]

7. Seagal wasn't in Air Force One

It's one of your favorite movies and you don't even remember who's in it?

:wtf:

[Xipe Totec]

8. Sorry, Executve Decisions, Not Air Force One

Thanks for the correction.

:hi:

[taterguy]

10. It's Executive Decision, not Decisions

:hi:

[Xipe Totec]

12. Doh!

:rofl:

[octothorpe]

18. I remember that movie and the LOL WTF moment when he died...

You know, expecting him to be the main character of the movie.

[EOTE]

23. Yeah, the law of character conservation says that he should have lived.

But then again, this was the mid 90s and Segal's stock had already began to plummet. I'm guessing the producers were like "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if we killed off a star in the first few minutes of the movie? Hey, let's get Steve Segal, I'm sure he'd do it for 5 figures."

[Buns_of_Fire]

24. The only thing I really took away from Air Force One is that Harrison Ford probably

wouldn't take any crap from the likes of Boner or Can'tor or Yurtle. Or Limbaugh the Hutt, if you want to take it back a few years more...

[blogslut]

2. Man, I hope Llovera wins

It was bone-headed enough that some over-the-hill action figure and America's most bigoted sheriff teamed up for anything, but plowing through the gates of a chicken farm, killing the family dog and slaughtering a couple hundred chickens...

Just so wrong.

[nadine_mn]

16. If the roosters were indeed raised for cock fighting, then they would have to be killed

As sad as that sounds, they are too violent to be kept near each other (they would literally kill each other) and I know humane agencies had no choice but to euthanize the fighters.


Now - I do not consider the asshole sheriff and Segal to be humane agents, but in some places that investigate animal cruelty, the ASPCA is with them. I am not sure if that happened here. On Animal Cops - Houston (I know, I know - more reality tv) it was heart breaking to watch- the humane agents had to kill the cockfighting roosters on site.

I am a volunteer humane agent and the thought of ever having to do that terrifies me.

[blogslut]

22. I understand the chickens have to be put down, but

...I'm no expert on cock fighting.

I may be forming my opinions based on fictionalized portrayals, but from the images of the aftermath of the raid, this place sure didn't look like the sort of place that was home to cruel animal treatment:

http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/jesus_sanchez_llovera_steven_seagal_lawman_raid_photo_gallery_rooster_pictures#tab=most_recent

[nadine_mn]

25. I have no idea what happened in this case

There are so many things wrong with this story - the film crew, the asshole sheriff, the so called Lawman, etc. However, I also know that some cultures (sadly my own Latino culture) have no problem with cock fighting and I have a hard time believing hundreds of roosters were being raised for "show"

[blogslut]

27. Did you look at the images?

[nadine_mn]

33. Yes

You can have a nice home and raise roosters for cockfighting. I see the cages and I would wonder more what the condition of the roosters were (talons etc).

I don't agree at all with how the raid went down (really, a tank?) but there isn't enough evidence on TMZ to say one way or the other.

Like I said, I don't know what happened, I wasn't there. Roosters for show? That just sounds odd.

[blogslut]

34. Okay

But it seemed to me those cages were communal and pretty darned shiny and clean.

Don't get me wrong, the guy could have been hiding the awful parts of his farm but the whole place looked positively pastoral.

As for the pretty roosters, again, I'm no expert but, owning attractive roosters and chickens is kind of a trend with the hipsters. I know the author Susan Orlean tweets incessantly about hers.

[Kurmudgeon]

3. Law enforcement isn't supposed to be for entertainment.

[BiggJawn]

4. Well, not until "Cops" came along, anyway.

and some Teeeeee-Veeeeee producer thought Murrika would sit and watch the Fuzz whupping up on poor people.

[Xipe Totec]

6. Did you see the comment by chiguy31?

"By the way, was that human blimp really Steven Segal? Looks like in preparing for his new role of “Lawman”, he has enthusiastically embraced the police doughnut culture"

[Cirque du So-What]

17. And by gawd, he was right!

Never underestimate the ability of some Merkins to display appallingly poor taste (not to mention poor judgment, poor manners, etc.).

[Ian David]

9. Someone should punch him in the cock.

[JVS]

11. At first I assumed that he was merely drunk, but upon reading the OP I found this action...

truly egregious.

[muriel_volestrangler]

13. To be clear, this wasn't an accident, like running the dog over; they shot it

or that's what the owner claims:

Seagal, along with Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, has been served with an official notice of claim from Jesus Sanchez Llovera -- who contends Seagal and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Department performed an "unfounded" raid on his home because they believed Jesus was operating an illegal cockfighting farm. Jesus denies the allegation -- insisting he only raises the roosters "for show."

Jesus claims Seagal arrived to his home on March 9 with a TANK -- and rammed into a gate on his property. Seagal was backed up by an MCSO Tactical Operations Unit -- armed in full riot gear -- which stormed the house. The entire incident was captured by a camera crew taping for Seagal's reality show, "Steven Seagal Lawman."

Jesus claims his 11-month old puppy was shot and killed during the raid -- and his home sustained "substantial damage." He also claims the cops killed more than 100 roosters that belonged to him.

http://www.tmz.com/2011/08/30/steven-seagal-lawsuit-tank-house-lawman-arizona-maricopa-county-raid-roosters-cockfight-lawsuit-illegal-puppy-dead-shot-killed-notice-of-claim-sheriff-joe-arpaio/#.Tl944KhXEZI

[digitaln3rd]

14. No wonder why he was a cook...

He can't even drive a tank!

[stlsaxman]

28. Cooking is an honorable proffesion... a LOT more complex than driving a fucking tank.

though i've never actually driven a tank- i got the chance to drive a tank simulator in Bosnia while playing music for the troops. It was big as a house and incredibly refrigerated so i spent about an hour in it escaping the 100 degree heat. I picked up on it in short order and found "driving" it very, very easy. An idiot can drive a tank, I should know- I'm an idiot.

I was also a cook for the first 15 years of my working life (musicians need to eat!) and it takes a LOT more knowledge than driving a tank. It takes chemistry, a keen sense of timing and an ability to handle dangerous utensils under immense pressure without doing damage to yourself OR those around you while serving up food that is safe and tasty in hopes that your customers will be pleased enough to return to your business.

It sounds like you've done neither of those- so i thought i'd let you know.

:hi:

[digitaln3rd]

32. It was a joke reference to Under Siege!

I went to a vocational school for four years as a chef and nearly went to college for it - though, these days, I just do it casually as a second job/hobby. :)

[stlsaxman]

35. AH! forgot about that reference... silly me!

So, you know of which i speak re foodservice. You're much better off as a hobbyist than a professional- i live alone and still find it impossible to cook for one. I cook a pot of redbeans and rice to feed 150!

[digitaln3rd]

37. It's ok - it was an awful movie, I think everyone forgot about it :D

I still get the urge to go back into cooking, honestly, but the reason why I decided against it for college was mostly the scheduling. It can be absolutely horrid sometimes - I do miss being behind the lines in the kitchens though.

I've started getting back in to baking and candy making, though - and perhaps it will lead into catering (or eventually a small shoppe). Glad to see another "foodie" though! :)

[Javaman]

15. A buddy of mine worked with seagal...

he's a colossal asshole.

[octothorpe]

19. I've heard the same thing from someone who worked for him on some construction at his home...

The guy was a total prick and full of himself.

[Aerows]

30. I think the idea of driving a damn tank into someone's house

Pretty much seals the deal on him being a colossal asshole. WTF were they thinking?

[Javaman]

31. That's just it, they don't think, they just react. nt

[chrisa]

41. It's all for show. They're making a real life action movie.

How is this allowed?

[Canuckistanian]

20. Since when does a police raid involve driving a TANK into a building?

Oh, never mind. I just saw the name Joe Arpaio.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

36. Since Waco?

Arpaio is a never-ending source of entertainment.

[octothorpe]

21. This is pretty much impossible to defend...

Even if the guy they raided was guilty... wtf? They weren't going into a warzone here.

I'm willing to bet the overuse of force for just for entertainment value (the show they were filming), and they had no real reason to use this much force. If there really was a threat that required so much force, would they have really had bad actors(even if a reserve officer) and film crews around?

[chrisa]

42. The worst part is, these dumbasses are going to get civilians killed one of these times.

Or themselves.

[Modern_Matthew]

26. Sued? Give him and everyone involved with that show prison time. nt

[Aerows]

29. Holy hell

He drove a tank into the guys house?

[HappyMe]

38. Seagal is a tool

and a humongous asshole.

[Joe Fields]

39. It's pathetic when a man will do anything to keep his name out there.

[chrisa]

40. Damn it Ryback!

And why is it, whenever there's a news story so bizarre, that's it's always Steven Seagal?

[joeybee12]

43. Whata piece of shit he is..put him in jail for this stunt...human garbage...knr

[bengalherder]

44. And dude is supposed to be a buddhist mucky-muck.

What an ass.

[MilesColtrane]

45. A fucking tank?

Whatever happened to these?



...and these?



I guess they don't make for good television.

[JoeyT]

49. It kind of depends

what you do with the latter one. It can make for some pretty http://www.comedycentral.com/videos/index.jhtml?videoId=170152&title=battering-ram">entertaining TV.

[Xipe Totec]

50. Seriously.

It's not like he was going to run away with the chickens.

[lpbk2713]

46. Anything to co-star with Sheriff Joe

Just think of the ratings. :eyes:

[Uncle Joe]

47. This television program having celebrities go along on police raids is

just another face of corporate supremacy.

A major requirement of corporate supremacy is the continued criminalization of the American People and one sided police propaganda programs are useful tools for that purpose, bringing in celebrities in an attempt to glamorize what should be sober police actions only serves to minimize regard for the American People's freedom, rights and privacy.

In a capitalist society such as our own, the tearing down; of the people by default raises the power level of the corporation.

Thanks for the thread, Xipe Totec.

[dembotoz]

48. blame the sherriff

if the bozo wants to turn his dept into a circus---oh i forgot who the sheriff is--i hope this guy sues the sheriff too.