[selzer]

I think there is a difference. One is premeditation. And most likely your buddy in Richmond Va had priors. Usually people do not go up for ten years with a squeaky clean record, unless we are talking murder.

the dog fighter most likely had a pit, different people there for gambling etc, dogs, probably got the dog ready for the the fight, etc.

The police officer went to a very legal training session with his dog and lost it and killed it.

The dogs are both just as dead, but...

With people, a guy who comes home all drunk and stuff and gets into a fight with his wife and beats her up and she dies due to falling on the corner of the fireplace bricks, does not get nearly the sentence that the woman gets when she waits for the husband to fall asleep, gets the gun, loads it and shoots him.

They are different crimes even if both of the victims are very much dead.