Two Strike Out as Own Lawyers : Courts: The armed robbery of a dog and a case of stolen flatware garner up to life in prison for O.C. defendants who represented themselves.

Two ex-felons who argued their own cases paid a high price for losing Friday when each was sentenced to as much as life in prison under the state’s “three strikes” law.

The unrelated felony cases--one involving the robbery of a dog named Buddy, the other stolen flatware--were the first in Orange County in which defendants facing 25 years to life in prison for a third strike declined lawyers and represented themselves.

Ty Clayton, whose cranky courtroom behavior turned his trial into a virtual sideshow, received a sentence of 95 years to life in prison for stealing a dog at gunpoint from a Garden Grove couple.

Clayton, convicted twice before on rape counts, hotly proclaimed his innocence to the end. “I’m not guilty and you’re all full of crap,” the 44-year-old swap meet vendor said before receiving his sentence, which included three consecutive life terms on robbery and firearm charges.

“Thank you,” Superior Court Judge Robert R. Fitzgerald responded dryly. “I’ve been called a lot worse in life.”

In a courtroom two floors below, Steven Douglas Mattson, 53, of Downey more quietly received his sentence of 25 years to life in prison for stealing flatware from a department store and then trying to return it for a $161 refund. Mattson, whose previous strikes include robbery and burglary convictions, insisted such a stiff sentence was too severe for the crime.

Citing his age, Mattson said, “Basically, it’s a life sentence for me.”

Before Mattson was led away, he and the judge even bantered about a golf addiction that Mattson said drove him to steal.

“Mr. Mattson, it’s been interesting,” said Judge William R. Froeberg.

Mattson, sounding sullen, doubted that he’d ever swing a golf club again. “I’ll be too old by then, your honor,” he said.

There were no amiable exchanges involving Clayton, who had sought to call his pet parrot, Beaker, as a witness. Clayton blamed the judge for the “absurdity” of his trial.

Clayton stole a 9-year-old collie mix at gunpoint during a dispute last September with a Garden Grove couple over reward money for the missing dog, which Clayton had reported finding.

The owners, Lori Dellamore and her fiance, Tony Grismer, testified that Clayton, holding a gun in one hand, grabbed the dog by his neck and dragged it on the street before driving off with the animal.

Buddy was later destroyed after Clayton gave the animal to a friend who took it to the pound, authorities said.

In a probation report, Dellamore sought $400 in restitution, though she said the pet was an irreplaceable family member.

“There is no amount that can be put on his life,” she said.

Deputy District Atty. Mel Jensen called Clayton a “drain on society” and said he was pleased the sentence probably would keep Clayton behind bars for the rest of his life.

Mattson, an unemployed computer worker, was convicted in August of trying a refund scam at a Fashion Island Broadway store last fall. A store security employee reported seeing him grab flatware from the counter and then try to return it for a refund using an alias.

Mattson represented himself in a three-day trial that was followed by 20 minutes of deliberation--about the same amount of time the Clayton jury required. Mattson was convicted of felony burglary and petty theft, charges that typically carry a prison sentence of 16 months to three years.

“The three-strikes law in this particular case is totally inappropriate,” said Mattson, handcuffed and wearing an orange jumpsuit.

But Froeberg refused to reduce the theft charge to a misdemeanor.