This blog wasn't around back in May 2007 when 11-year-old Jamison Stone shot a 1,000-plus pound hog in Alabama, so we couldn't discuss the controversy that at the time resulted in strong criticism against the Stone family.
     But the debate seems to have resurfaced. According to this Al.com story Rhonda Roland Shearer, who operates a media ethics think tank in Manhattan, is calling for animal cruelty charges to be brought against those involved with the Stones' hunt. She cites the number of shots needed to kill the pig and the amount of time it took for the animal to die as support for her stance.
     Meanwhile, an online petition (which Shearer says she did not start), has surfaced, so far attracting over 800 signatures worldwide, likewise calling for prosecution.
     I remember F&S interviewing the boy's father, Mike Stone, shortly after the controversy initially broke over a year ago. At the time, the family was already complaining of death threats, and struggling to deal with the negative publicity. I find it curious that activists are still unwilling to let the incident go (after the statute of limitations has expired), and are reviving the controversy now.
     The Discovery Channel is reportedly planning to air a documentary that will deal with the Hogzilla phenomenon of monster pig hunting -- I'll be very curious to see what approach they take to Stone and other big pig pursuers, who have achieved minor celebrity status in recent years. K.H.