Janelle Irwin Taylor
A petition to disbar the Clearwater lawyer who recorded forcing a raccoon off his boat to an almost certain watery death has more than 73,000 signatures so far.
A viral video shows Thomas Cope on a boat taunting a raccoon that reportedly had been hiding out.
Cope yelled expletives at the animal and it eventually fell off the side of the boat. After it fell, Cope shouts “so long, sucker” at the animal, presumed drowned.
Care2, an online petition site with 50 million followers globally, launched the petition after outrage over Cope’s behavior.
“Thomas Cope’s actions, whether he intended them to result in the raccoon dying or not, constitute an act of animal cruelty and he should face the consequences of his decision,” said Care2’s Rebecca G.
In addition to disbarment, the Care2 petition is also calling for criminal charges of animal cruelty.
“Too often, these cases get swept under the rug, but as the social media reaction to his video illustrated, people are disgusted by his actions. That’s why we’re calling for Cope to be charged with animal cruelty and appropriately punished by the state bar association.”
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is already investigating the incident. So too is the The Florida Bar.
Cope since has issued an apology, saying that in the moment he felt he had no other choice but to get the animal off the boat.
“The animal was running around the boat hissing and growling, making it impossible for me or my friend to drive the boat,” Cope said, according to the Tampa Bay Times. “Knowing raccoons can be rabid and unpredictable, the only realistic option we could think of in the moment was to get the raccoon off the boat.”
Cope’s apology wasn’t well-received. He was the one who posted the video to a boating Facebook forum in the first place.
In that post he referred to the raccoon as “a trash panda,” a common internet reference for raccoons because of their tendency to raid trash cans and their noticeable dark circles around their eyes. Further, his reaction to the raccoon falling from the boat lacked any hint of remorse or sadness.
Care2 thinks Cope should have returned to shore to let the animal off the boat safely rather than leaving it to drown. The final image captured of the raccoon shows it paddling in the water, trying to stay afloat.
56 comments
Cogent Observer
May 22, 2019 at 3:44 pm
What a jerk. The manner in which a person treats animals reflects upon the way in which he/she treats other people. Evidently, he cared nothing about the animal’s welfare and the offender was himself in no danger.
Disbarment may not be warranted, however, a public reprimand and suspension certainly are. This offender should also be required to volunteer time (under supervision) at an animal rescue organization and donate a sizeable sum of money to its operation.
Nadya
May 22, 2019 at 7:23 pm
Nope. He should be disbarred and charged with extreme animal cruelty. What a shameful moral failure!
Demsoni
May 23, 2019 at 8:18 pm
You’re the dumbest person on earth what would you do with that animal trapped in a 20’ space possibly rabid
Mari LaFore
May 24, 2019 at 8:29 am
Every word of your comment is true!
Mari LaFore
May 24, 2019 at 8:29 am
Every word of your comment is true!
Briar Lee Mitchell, EdD
May 24, 2019 at 10:09 am
I agree with your statement. Also…disbarment certainly may not be warranted but a lot of people were, like myself, were sickened and outraged by this. If a human being can be so cruel and unfeeling…how else can you get under their skin to let them know what they did was really bad and horrible. Hoping this man knows now.
Cindy
May 24, 2019 at 10:51 am
“Jerk?” That’s too lightly of word to describe him. Can’t say on here what I’d like to say to his face.
What he did is HORRIBLE! And the comment “So long sucker” OMG!!!
I am an animal lover and have rescued MANY in my life and will continue to do so. I live way out in the woods and I have lots of wildlife here. Families of raccoons been here for years. Watched babies grow up here. As well as other wildlife. I know the dangers of all wildlife.
That stupid a**(can’t type what I’d like to) could have got up higher on his boat and called FWC. I’m sure he had a phone.
I hope he is charged with Animal Cruelty with intent to kill. And have to work at a Animal Shelter cleaning up nasty stuff with his bare hands(but I know bare hands won’t happen.) And have to donate ALOT OF MONEY for Animal Organizations. I hope he also gets some jail time. I guess ya’ll can tell…I have a strong dislike for animal abusers.
Cogent Observer
May 24, 2019 at 11:35 am
Yes, Cindy, you’re right. It wasn’t a sufficiently strong word. However, it was the best one that I felt was appropriate for a public forum–unlike the comments made recently by the poster who identified herself as a lawyer.
It seems that the bulk of the reactions to the article and the act were consistent with each other. It may be helpful if those who believe that Thomas Cope should be disciplined by The Bar contact it (in Tallahassee) in writing to say so. Otherwise, we may merely be “venting.”
gary
May 22, 2019 at 3:44 pm
This is a silly! The guy will live the rest of his life being hassled about this vid…. that is punishment enough. It’s a raccoon not a Golden Cheeked Warbler!
Donald Hillebrand
May 22, 2019 at 7:20 pm
It’s the cruelty of action dude…it’s not silly to let it suffer for hours before it dies a horrible death of drowning or being slowly bit at by a shark. I can almost guarantee you have no children.
gary
May 23, 2019 at 11:36 am
Wrong Donald I do! I am also an adult!
Briar Mitchell
May 22, 2019 at 9:00 pm
What difference does it make what kind of animal it was…would you have been more outraged if it had been a dog? The fact that this guy had no problem leaving an animal to drown after who knows how long it struggled to stay alive is just horrifying…he deserves to be punished.
gary
May 23, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Just pretend it is a fetus! Class dismissed!
Briar Lee Mitchell, EdD
May 23, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Not going to pretend anything. I don’t have to. People do horrifying things to animals every day…so many get away with it, and I, like a whole lot of people (just count the number of signatures on this petition alone)…are sick to death of it.
I cannot treat an animal like that, nor should anyone. This man did a very bad thing…he deserves to be punished for his depraved act. Whatever the law or the BAR does to him…he earned it.
Demsoni
May 23, 2019 at 8:19 pm
You’re the dumbest person on earth what would you do with that animal trapped in a 20’ space possibly rabid
Dianne
May 22, 2019 at 3:50 pm
When did animals became more important than people? Humans are at the top of the food chain. People need to spend more time helping the homeless and starving citizens of our country and less time pleading the cases of racoons.
Robert Girard
May 23, 2019 at 10:39 am
Do you not realize that one be both sympathetic and spend time helping the homeless AND AT THE SAME TIME do the same for our four-legged friends.
It’s NOT one or the other, Diane.
gary
May 23, 2019 at 12:36 pm
These are the same people that will protest the anti abortion laws in Alabama! Simply pathetic. I am not saying I agree with what the guy did, I would have motored to the closest terra firma and let it go. But, to call for disbarment? Give me a break, he is a jerk, give him a ticket.
Dianne
May 22, 2019 at 3:50 pm
When did animals became more important than people? Humans are at the top of the food chain. People need to spend more time helping the homeless and starving citizens of our country and less time pleading the cases of raccoons.
Sammie
May 23, 2019 at 10:10 am
Here’s another one. Who think that people can only be concerned about one thing at a time, Well Dianne some of us can multi-task. This guy is an idiot and deserves to be called out.. as do you.
gary
May 23, 2019 at 12:59 pm
Unfortunately we live in a world of Disney animation and these people think the animals can talk to them.
Cogent Observer
May 22, 2019 at 4:21 pm
Gary, Dianne–
1. No, it isn’t punishment enough. He deserves to “feel” the wrongfulness of what he did–much like he argues that defendants/insurers have to “feel” the wrongfulness of what they did in the PI cases he handles. He acted in a way that was devoid of the ethics like I’m sure he argues in his PI cases and which he argued when he was in the criminal system as a lawyer.
2. Dianne- (A) You are repeating yourself. (B) As I said and as intelligent people understand, the manner in which one treats an animal is reflective of the way they treat other people. Your food chain argument is primitive and frankly, underscores your lack of understanding. “Homeless and starving citizens” have no claim on your or my time by right. There is an abundance of voluntary organizations available to assist them if those would make the effort to find them or, better yet, to improve themselves so as to fill the millions of jobs that long to be filled. There are likewise an abundance of sources, many public and free, to achieve that improvement. Your position as to the people you purport to advocate for merely enslaves further enslaves them to more “homelessness” and “starvation.:
Donald Hillebrand
May 22, 2019 at 7:24 pm
Cogent Observer,
Well said…cruelty to animals almost always ( according to FBI study) shows a sociopath behavior in humans.
Anita
May 22, 2019 at 8:41 pm
Thank you. Fully agree! He did not videotape how the animal was hissing and growling? He did not have a box on board, a cooler, or a towel? But he had fun to video the animal going to its death. Zero compassion. It shows a despicable character.
Briar Lee Mitchell
May 22, 2019 at 9:07 pm
Cogent Observer…nicely stated indeed!
Marty Ronhovde
May 22, 2019 at 8:18 pm
Dis bar this POS! he deserves it!
Cogent Observer
May 22, 2019 at 8:59 pm
It is gratifying to see such a public outcry about the acts of Thomas Cope, the attorney from Clearwater who drowned a raccoon that posed no threat to him. What seems to have incensed people in addition to the seeming cowardice of the underlying act was Mr. Cope’s haughty “so long, sucker” exclamation after he apparently maneuvered (pushed?) the animal overboard, perhaps with his hand or foot. That seems to be at odds with his claim that he feared rabies; most logically thinking people would understand that an animal trying to save itself might bite.
What kind of person kills an animal when self-defense is not involved? Thomas Cope sure doesn’t look like a trophy hunter, even if trophy hunting were a valid basis for killing a defenseless animal.
The Bar is investigating the wrongdoing. We don’t know if Thomas Cope has a prior disciplinary record; if he doesn’t, disbarment is unlikely-in fact, there may be no professional discipline at all. That said, one can tell a great deal about a person by their behavior. This behavior speaks volumes.
Ren
June 5, 2019 at 12:39 pm
If you think raccoons are harmless you have never encountered a wild one. They are vile, bad tempered, and carry rabies. You have the right to protect your property, others, and livestock in most states. Drowning is quick and painless compared to the poison you give your mice and rats.
Helen Higginbotham, Esq.
May 22, 2019 at 11:36 pm
I thought surely this was some kind of joke when I read the headline. Outrage and demands to end one’s livelihood because of an act of cruelty that results in the death of a RACCOON but absolute silence when cop shoot and kill innocent Blacks including our children! ZERO calls for anyone’s job, murderous cops walk free!, corrupt prosecutors go on to become corrupt and dishonest judges and ZERO outrage from incensed citizens. Mums is mostly the word as Brown families are being destroyed, their babies “lost”, abused and murdered by acts of our government encouraged by a racist moron occupying the white house. Still he is there and still there’s is no outrage but this lawyer who threw a potentially harmful ANIMAL off his boat should be ARRESTED & DISBARRED? I didn’t watch the video so I can’t speak to the manner in which it was done but forgive me for not sharing in the displaced outrage or demands for his annihilation and overwhelming compassion for an ANIMAL when Carez and others could give a damn about loss of life for PEOPLE who look like me. Sandra Bland was arrested and murdered for failure to use a signal. Philando Castile, a wonderful man who had been harrassed by the cops in his community, was MURDERED in front of his screaming girlfriend and an innocent child who is affected for thecrest of her life and your beat goes on. Nine people in prayer are MURDERED by a vile POS masquerading as human and treated accordingly by the media and the cops who seem to reluctantly arrest him and no outrage. Ni one even called him an uncivilized barbarian who can’t die soon enough. He’s a “disturbed kid”. Where’s the courage for loss of HUMAN life? Who’s head should roll when innocent HUMAN BEINGS are murdered by those trained and trusted to do otherwise? Gimme a Break! I need those 70K people who signed this petition to be consistent in their outrage and demands for justice. No ANIMAL has more relevance to me than ANY HUMAN! So miss me with the demand for the lawyer’s head no matter how disturbing his behavior. Take on a REAL cause defending human life and then maybe I can hear you and take your cries for justice, equality and retribution seriously. Shame on the FL bar for caving in to this stunt for publicity… SMH…
Sammie
May 23, 2019 at 10:15 am
Helen. People (some people) CAN be concerned about more than one thing at one… ie human life and animal life. Sucks that you can’t. PS. I don’t care if you ever take “our cries for justice, eauality and retribution seriously”. But thank for playing!
gary
May 23, 2019 at 1:02 pm
nonsense!
Me.You.
May 23, 2019 at 10:29 pm
Watch the video first before commenting. Who you support for pres has nothing to do with this.
Cogent Observer
May 23, 2019 at 8:03 am
Thank you, Ms. Higginbotham. Spoken like a true victim.
gary
May 23, 2019 at 1:03 pm
here here
JustaLLMfromFL
May 23, 2019 at 2:03 pm
Anyone calling for someone to be disbarred when removing a potentially dangerous animal from his boat needs to re-evaluate their priorities, and have their head examined. I know divorce attorneys who slept with clients who only got a slap on the wrist from the Florida Bar Grievance Committee. This is a absurd. “people are disgusted by his actions”? No, dumb judgmental people who dont understand situational awareness are disgusted. Intelligent people are not. It was unfortunate that a raccoon found its way onto his boat, but I see he exercised the responsible option to protect himself and his passengers from a potential bite. Had he note removed the animal, and someone had been bitten, they would have had a cause of action against him.
Get real some of you.
Helen Higginbotham
May 23, 2019 at 3:36 pm
Wow! Thank you for sharing good sense. I felt so all alone. It’s a friggin’ raccoon dammit!!! SMH…
Cogent Observer
May 23, 2019 at 3:56 pm
Ms. Higginbotham,
This is a public forum read by many. I’m sure that everyone would appreciate it if you were to refrain from swearing. Your overall point of view is sufficiently disturbing, particularly as a supposed officer of the court.
gary
May 26, 2019 at 4:23 pm
You are not alone Helen! Rational people still exist! They are animals! Racoons happen to be visciouse little dudes that will bite you in a heartbeat. I would not wish the rabies shot series on anyone! Very painful!
Sue Mitchel
May 24, 2019 at 12:01 am
yes…true.. and I can see that point but also maybe he could have tried to calm the animal…or contain it…but he just did what seemed easiest
Thom
May 23, 2019 at 3:02 pm
Raccoons are typically regarded as highly intelligent. Lawyers somewhat less so.
Cogent Observer
May 23, 2019 at 3:38 pm
That is certainly the case here. While lawyers do have to display a level of “book-earning” intelligence to pass the Bar, unfortunately, neither emotional intelligence, common sense, nor compassion is tested. And, to be clear, compassion is not evidenced in the drivel spewed on this thread at 11:36 PM last night. That was merely a speech by someone who evidently has an ax to grind or who is smitten with her own self-importance.
Thom
May 23, 2019 at 3:40 pm
Statistics show that most serial killers started with animal cruelty. So protecting animals is protecting ourselves.That they felt safe enough to record the incident argues against their claim of fear for their safety. Mocking the animal as a trash panda and a sucker implies a feeling of superiority rather than fear. In any case people have been convicted of animal cruelty for far less. No officer of the court should be immune to prosecution.
Cogent Observer
May 23, 2019 at 4:46 pm
Well stated, Thom. One can only hope that Mr. Cope, his partners, and his clients recognize the gravity of the act. More importantly, they should see it as a reflection upon both his judgment and disregard for all but himself. There were many ways in which to handle the situation, particularly since he was in no danger, many of which were mentioned in prior comments.
When one is representing a client, a lawyer dons a “work face” and acts as he thinks the client wants him to act and look in order to achieve the goal. It is only when no one is looking does a person’s true character show. This guy went so far as to film and post his true character. By anyone’s standards, not too bright.
Mark R
May 25, 2019 at 12:42 pm
You are both insane.
gary
May 26, 2019 at 4:25 pm
Amen
Mark R
May 25, 2019 at 12:40 pm
So this is what my Bar dues support. Raccoongate. Some of you need to get a Fn life. Raccoons have a higher propensity to carry rabies than other animals. The safe play is getting it off the boat and not endangering the humans on the boat.
This is the phoniest of phonetic outrages I have ever heard of.
I hope you whiny judgemental dummies get bit yourself. Enjoy the shots afterwards.
Patty
May 23, 2019 at 4:18 pm
The most ironic part of this story is he is a personal injury lawyer? What?!!!
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Sorry, I couldn’t help it …
Comments are closed.