Judge Overrules Jury In Animal Abuse Case (drops up to 10yr sentence to 1 month)

[The Straight Story]

Judge Overrules Jury In Animal Abuse Case
State's Felony Animal Cruelty Statue Called Vague

VIERA, Fla. -- A convicted animal abuser who had faced 10 years in prison will spend just one more month in jail after a Brevard judge threw out a jury's earlier conviction on felony charges, Local 6 News partner Florida Today reported.

Greg Hynes, 26, was convicted in January on two counts of felony animal cruelty.

According to prosecutors, eight animals, including two dogs, were found starving and living in putrid conditions inside Hynes' Melbourne apartment in 2004.

Hynes' lawyer, Patrick Lepore, filed motions for a new trial and an acquittal of charges based on errors he said prosecutors made during trial and what he called insufficient evidence to prove the felony charges.

Judge George Maxwell on Thursday said the state's felony animal cruelty statute is vague, and that the misdemeanor statute -- which defines cruelty as confinement without sufficient food or water, and abandonment -- took precedence.

http://www.local6.com/news/13461811/detail.html

(Further down in story it was noted a 1yr sentence was recommended on the felony charges)

[Double T]

1. This heinous individual will be out abusing animals again............

our court systems are incompetent and failed like everything else in our governments.

[bluestateguy]

2. God damn that makes me angry

A far bigger outrage than Paris Hilton's release today.

This kind of animal cruelty ought to be punished by having the criminal curb stomped.

[elocs]

3. Animal abuse is just a prelude to abuse of humans...the innocent, the weak , the vulnerable.

Too many judges out there believe that "judge" is spelled g-o-d and behave accordingly.

[roguevalley]

4. that judge is a fucker. expect people to give their time and then overrules

their EXTREMELY JUST decision. Shit.