A woman who acted as a human shield between her dog and an armed trooper has been acquitted of obstructing justice. In May of 2015, Tiffanie Hupp was put in handcuffs outside of her home when she prevented a trooper pointing a gun at her dog from shooting the animal. She was arrested and charged with obstructing a police officer.
Months later, Hupp, 23, was found not guilty by a jury in a West Virginia court. Hupp was acquitted in large part because of video footage filmed by her husband, Ryan Hupp on his cell phone. In the video, West Virginia State Police Trooper Seth Cook is seen arriving at the Hupp’s home.
Hupp’s dog, Buddy, began barking and approaching the officer with his tail wagging and reaching the end of his chain. The officer pulled out his gun and looked like he was getting ready to shoot the dog when Hupp ran between them. The officer allegedly pulled Hupp away and threw her to the ground. He later arrested her.
During the jury trial which concluded on February 29, 2016, Cook testified that he was not afraid of the dog, but was following training that required him to kill all dogs that approach him, whether or not they were chained. The trooper had been called to the property to mediate a dispute between Hupp’s stepfather and a neighbor.
According to news reports, the trooper arrested Hupp and then went inside their home and confiscated all their electronic devices, including Ryan Hupp’s cell phone. The footage from the cell phone was later shown in court and Hupp attributes the video for getting her acquitted.
“If it wasn’t for him recording, there’d be nothing,” Hupp told Photography is Not a Crime after being acquitted. “He knew about police brutality before I did. But that’s why the camera is shaking, because of the adrenaline. When they read those words ‘not guilty’, we were relieved. It’s hard to describe the feeling unless it’s actually happening to you. Justice is good, though.”
Warning: The video below of the incident contains strong language.
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