Animal cruelty case closed


Thursday, June 19, 2008
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Animal cruelty case closed

By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer

Justice Court Judge Ernest Cunningham entered a judgement on seven counts of animal cruelty against Michael Kleman of 6650 Camelot Road in Horn Lake, Monday, according to Sheriff Kenny Dickerson.

Cunningham ordered Kleman to pay fines, fees, and veterinarian costs associated with the March 14 seizure of seven pit bulls at Kleman’s property, 3527 South Red Banks Road. The fines and fees came to nearly $4,000, according to Kelly McMillen with the sheriff’s department.

Kleman had kept approximately 29 dogs at the Red Banks Road location, he said. Deputies and Eric Yeager, Marshall County animal control officer, seized the seven pit bulls that were either malnourished, or had scars and open wounds and were without food or water. The dogs were restrained on chains in a wooded area McMillen said.

Animal cruelty is a misdemeanor and can carry a judgement of jail time of up to under a year.

Several investigators, Sheriff Dickerson and Eric Yeager testified in justice court Monday in the case.

In a separate incident, Marshall County deputies assisted Tate County in the apprehension of a Coldwater man who had taken a wrecker from a wrecker service in Tate, according to Dickerson.

Chris Roberts, 25, of 660 Hope Road, Coldwater, was arrested on Laws Hill Road and returned to Tate County by authorities.

Dickerson said Marshall County authorities were called to assist Tate County deputies when a wrecker, allegedly driven by Roberts, crossed the county line at Highway 4 West while authorities were in pursuit.

The driver turned on Laws Hill Road and then south on Highway 310, evading pursuit and deputies lost sight of the wrecker, according to McMillen.

The wrecker was abandoned by the driver and later located on O’Dell Road by Eric Yeager and a citizen in the Laws Hill Community, he said.

Roberts allegedly left the abandoned wrecker on foot, called someone in Tate County and was picked up and taken to their residence.

The wrecker service owner found Roberts and returned him to the scene where authorities interviewed the suspect who allegedly planned to use the wrecker to steal some 4-wheelers and haul them off on the wrecker.

Roberts, 25, was arrested and charged with failure to yield to an officer in pursuit and was taken into custody by Tate County Sheriff’s deputies, Dickerson said.

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