Former Sulphur police officer Brian Thierbach pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated cruelty to animals Monday in state district court.

Thierbach, 41, was in court, but attorney Anthony Hebert entered the plea for him. Hebert requested a trial by jury although he said he wasn’t sure that was what they would ultimately seek.

A pretrial conference was set for Dec. 18 in front of Judge David Ritchie.

Thierbach is accused of shooting a dog while responding to a call at the Sulphur Daily News office on April 28.

Sulphur police reportedly received a call of two men on the premises. Brandon Carpenter, the dog’s owner, and Logan Laliberte were seeking shelter from the rain in a nearby truck.

Thierbach shot the dog, a 14-month-old named Arzy, claiming it tried to bite him.

Thierbach has since resigned.

An internal investigation by the Sulphur Police Department deemed Thierbach to have been in violation of departmental policy and procedure.

Jose Manuel Garcia Guevara, 26, recently retuned to Calcasieu Parish on rape and murder charges, was also scheduled to be arraigned Monday, but the arraignment was postponed until Friday so that his lawyer could be present.

Guevara was present in court and spoke through an interpreter. He said an attorney visited him at the jail, but they were not able to communicate because he does not speak English.

Prosecutor Rick Bryant said it would be better to wait until Friday when Shelton could be present.

Guevara is charged with second-degree murder, aggravated rape and aggravated burglary in the Feb. 19, 2008, death of his neighbor, Wanda Barton

Authorities said Guevara committed the crime in front of her 4-year-old son.

He went on the run and was placed on the FBI Ten Most Wanted list. He was arrested in his native Mexico last fall, and returned to Calcasieu on July 29.(MGNonline)