By Jim Shepherd

“Use a scalpel, not a buzz saw,” was advice offered to Congress yesterday during Supreme Court arguments regarding the Federal Depiction of Animal Cruelty Statute.

The ten year old law was written to outlaw “crush videos” -dominatrix videos in which women crushed small animals with bare feet or stiletto heels, but opponents argue the law is drawn so broadly as to negatively impact everything from investigations into animal cruelty to television shows featuring hunting.

In fact, conviction of Virginia filmmaker Robert Stevens for a series of videos depicting pit bulls in fights and other activities is the reason the case is before the high court.

Stevens was prosecuted under the statute, convicted and sentenced to more than three years in prison. In an appeal, Stevens argued the law was too-broad and violated his constitutional right of free speech. A federal appeals court agreed, overturning the conviction and his three-year sentence.

The Obama administration appealed that decision, and is asking the court to reverse that lower-court decision and find in favor of the statute.

NEWTOWN, Conn. — With the U.S. Supreme Court slated to hear arguments today in the United States v. Stevens, No. 08-769, the National Shooting Sports Foundation encourages the court to support the First Amendment rights of all media to show images of hunting and fishing.

The case centers around a 1999 federal statute used to prosecute a Virginia man on animal cruelty-related charges that because it is so broadly written could similarly be used to prosecute anyone who publishes images of hunting or to prosecute retailers for stocking and selling books, DVDs or art depicting hunting scenes.

“The National Shooting Sports Foundation and its over 4,500 member companies oppose animal cruelty, which is illegal in every state, and stress that hunting scenes are not representative of criminal behavior. Hunting is a legitimate, licensed activity, and responsible hunters respect the animals they pursue and utilize,” said Steve Sanetti, president of NSSF. “Such images assist novices with basic hunting and field dressing techniques and provide education about wildlife conservation and safe and ethical hunting.”