FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
Friday, May 21, 2010

CONTACT: Cullen Schwarz
Office: (202) 225-5802

PETERS FIGHTS TO STOP ANIMAL TORTURE

Peters Bill Would Restore Law Banning “Crush Videos”—Pornographic Videos Involving Animal Torture and Killing—After Supreme Court Decision

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Representative Gary Peters today announced that he is fighting to once again outlaw videos depicting animal torture.  Representative Peters has introduced the Animal Torture Prevention Act of 2010 to restore the federal ban on “crush videos,” deplorable videos depicting the torture of small animals—guinea pigs, rabbits, even kittens or puppies—or showing them being crushed to death by women wearing stiletto heels or with their bare feet for sexual pleasure.  Peters’ legislation would ban the creation, sale or distribution of all depictions of extreme animal cruelty.  A House Judiciary Committee hearing on the effort to again outlaw crush and other animal cruelty videos is expected to be held next week. 

The creation and sale of crush videos was banned by a federal law in 1999.  However, the Supreme Court struck down the law in the case United States v. Stevens on April 20, 2010, saying the law infringed on First Amendment free speech rights.  Congressman Peters’ legislation is carefully drafted to avoid the issues in the original law that the Court found unconstitutional in order to once again prohibit people from profiting off of animal torture.

“Animal torture videos are heinous, barbaric and completely unacceptable and we’re going to stop them once and for all,” said Rep. Peters.  “It’s hard to believe that this sort of thing even exists, and that a new law is needed to prevent it.  Animal torture is outrageously disturbing and common decency and morality dictates that those engaged in it shouldn’t be profiting from it, they should be in prison.”

“Congress should act swiftly to make sure the First Amendment is not used as a shield for those committing barbaric acts of cruelty, and then peddling their videos on the Internet,” said Michael Markarian, chief operating officer of The Humane Society of the United States. “We are grateful to Congressman Peters for working to protect animals from malicious acts of cruelty.”

“In its decision on this matter the Supreme Court gave hints as to what a constitutional bill outlawing animal torture videos would need to look like to pass muster,” said Stephen I. Vladeck, Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law, a Constitutional law expert.  “I believe Representative Peters’ legislation responds to the Court's concerns about the law they struck down.”  

Estimates suggest that approximately 2,000 crush videos were in circulation, some selling for as much as $400, at the time the original law was established in 1999.  The original law was considered to be generally effective at stopping crush videos.  Over a decade later, with far more internet users than there were during the 1990s, it is feared that the videos could become even more widespread than before if new legislation is not passed to stop people from profiting off of these terrible acts. 

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