Terrence Cody at one point had a very solid and still promising NFL career but that came to an end last year when the Ravens released him after he was convicted on animal cruelty where he allegedly allowed his dog to starve to death. Yesterday came the sentencing phase, where Cody was given nine months in county jail, even though prosecutors were asking for more than two years behind bars.

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Cody, 27, was convicted in November of multiple misdemeanors in connection with the death of his dog, Taz, last year, as well as two misdemeanor drug charges. Prosecutors said Taz starved to death.

Cody spent $8,000 to buy and import Taz, a Canary mastiff, from Spain. He took the animal to a Reisterstown animal hospital a few hours before it died. The dog, which once weighed at least 100 pounds, was down to less than 50 pounds at that point.

His defense lawyer, Joe Murtha blamed the death of the animal on Cody’s depression.

Murtha said that Cody was emotionally incapable of caring for the dog and that he suffers from depression. “His level of depression is so significant that he’s become just isolated,” said Murtha, who added that his communication with his client has been limited because of Cody’s depression.

He reportedly has already started his sentence after checking into the jail today.

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