“Crush Videos” Legislation Introduced After Court Decision

“Crush Videos” Legislation Introduced After Court Decision
New Bill Will Not Impact Hunting Videos.

Washington, DC –-(AmmoLand.com)- New legislation is pending in Congress that will prohibit so-called “crush videos” while protecting sportsmen from legally producing hunting videos. The new measure will replace a law that was struck down by a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.

On April 20, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a 1999 federal law that prohibited the production and distribution of videos depicting a shocking form of animal cruelty known as “crush videos.” These videos showed scenes of women in high heels crushing animals to death.

While no one argues against eliminating “crush videos”, many sportsmen and hunting organizations were concerned that the language contained in the legislation would also prohibit depictions of hunting in videos and television programming. The case that went to the Supreme Court involved an individual who received a three-year prison sentence for selling videos containing scenes of hunting dogs. The video also showed examples of animal cruelty in the form of dog fighting. That video was shot in a foreign country where dog fighting is legal.

Immediately upon the Court decision animal rights groups called for new legislation dealing with the “crush videos.” On April 21 the co-chairs of the Animal Protection Caucus, U.S. Representative Jim Moran (D- VA) and Elton Gallegly (R- CA), introduced HR 5092 which will again ban the production of the “crush videos.” However, unlike the previous legislation, this bill contains specific language that excludes videos of hunting, trapping, fishing and other legal activities.

“No one supports malicious cruelty to animals of the sort depicted in these ‘crush videos’, but we also want to be sure that legal activities like hunting are not blackballed by a law that is too vague,” said Bill Horn, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance director of federal affairs.

“We are glad that HR 5092 addresses legitimate animal cruelty issues without penalizing honest sportsmen.”