Jury selection, more pretrial motions set for dog burning case

Jury selection and more pretrial motions are expected to take most – if not all – of Wednesday when the prosecution of Travers and Tremaine Johnson, twins charged with animal cruelty, resumes in a Baltimore courtroom.

Much of Monday was taken up with motions on what evidence and testimony jurors will be allowed to consider. Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill ruled that a woman who identified the brothers to police can testify. In addition, prosecutors may use a statement by Travers Johnson to police as well as a city surveillance video.

The brothers are accused of putting gasoline on a pit bull puppy in May 2009, then setting the dog ablaze. With burns on more than 95 percent of her body, the puppy nicknamed Phoenix by rescue workers, had to be euthanized.

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