Seattle homeless man accused of beating dog released without bail

Prosecutors asked the judge to set bail at Monday's court hearing, but the judge declined and released the accused animal abuser without bail, Komo News reported. O'Neill-Sapp was allegedly seen in a now-viral video repeatedly beating a dog inside a King County Regional Housing Authority (KCRHA) homeless facility in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood.

The judge refused to hold O'Neill-Sapp behind bars until his arraignment, ruling against the request of prosecutors. The judge released O'Neill-Sapp, a repeat offender, on personal recognizance and ordered him to possess no animals. Personal recognizance is a release agreement where a defendant agrees to return to court when ordered by the judge, without the need to post bail.

Prosecutors were unable to provide a charging decision during the hearing because Seattle police detectives had yet to refer the case, but prosecutors made it clear they didn't want O'Neill-Sapp to be released. The Court found probable cause for animal cruelty before releasing him on personal recognizance.

Discovery Institute Senior Fellow Jonathan Choe posted a video on Monday showing O'Neill-Sapp repeatedly pummeling a Pitbull dog with his fist. The video, which was taken by neighbors across the street, gained traction and it wasn't long before Seattle City Council member Joy Hollingsworth, a Democrat representing District 3, arrived on the scene to rescue the dog. Seattle PD entered the unit and O'Neill-Sapp's girlfriend surrendered the animal, police said.

According to a Seattle police report, officers responded to reports of animal cruelty on Saturday and took O'Neill-Sapp into custody.

In a video captured by Komo News reporter Jackie Kent, Hollingsworth and her constituents were seen escorting the dog from the complex with police. Local community members could be heard cheering on the rescue.

Joy Hollingsworth told the Ari Hoffman show on KVI 570 that she rushed the one-year-old dog to the veterinarian, and it is now on its way to recovery. Hollingsworth stated that she would keep the puppy until she finds a foster home. She posed for images with her temporary pet dog, which were shared on social media.