GRANTS PASS, Ore. – A Cave Junction man will spend the next 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon and animal abuse.
Joseph Sallman sat quietly in court Thursday morning as the state reviewed his multiple charges.
Back in July, Sallman was accused of shooting his one-time friend John LaRue twice with an AK-47 and fatally shooting LaRue’s dog.
“Joseph was a good friend of mine,” LaRue briefly said in court. “I can’t replace my dog.”
Earlier this month, Sallman pleaded guilty to attempted murder, unlawful use of a weapon and animal abuse. A judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison for the shooting.
LaRue said he is still physically in pain from the incident.”Just tells me one thing, I got bad choice in friends,” LaRue commented. As for his current condition: “Sore. I still can feel my arm, there is a bullet lodged in my shoulder, going to be there forever, resting on a nerve.”
According to LaRue, he was disappointed with the ruling, saying he thinks his one-time friend should serve more time. “He gets ten years and I get a bullet lodged in my arm for the rest of my life. It’s not very fair.”
During the same shooting incident, Sallman is also accused of hitting and killing a camel at the Tiger Preservation Center in Cave Junction.
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