Davey’s Voice, the nonprofit formed on behalf of Davey — a six-month-old miniature pinscher puppy who died last year after being tortured by 20-year-old SBCC student Duanying Chen — has started a petition protesting Chen’s early release from County Jail.
Back in July, Chen was sentenced by Judge Brian Hill to one year in jail and five years of probation for felony animal abuse, for use of deadly weapon, and for violating a court order not to contact his ex-girlfriend, who told authorities Chen strangled her until she nearly passed out. Both Chen and his then-girlfriend were Chinese international students at City College.
The online petition, created Wednesday, gathered 5,000 supporters within two days and had 5,633 signatures at press time. Davey’s Voice calls on Sheriff Bill Brown, the Santa Barbara County Probation Office, and Santa Barbara Immigration and Customs (ICE) officials to protest Chen’s proposed early release from jail after “serving just half of his sentence.” The petition expresses concern that, pending ICE action, Chen might be able to retain his student visa and continue his studies in Santa Barbara at the end of his jail sentence. The petition urges authorities to ensure Chen participates in a court-ordered 52-week-long Batterer’s Intervention Program with the county probation department and that he loses his student visa and is “immediately” deported back to China if he is released from jail.