Thread by @DavidBegnaud

BREAKING: Judge in Wetumpka, Alabama finds U.S. Army veteran Beverly Roberts, 85, and Mary Alston, 61, GUILTY of trespassing & disorderly conduct in connection to feeding & trapping cats (for neutering) on public property, which is not illegal.
The city found it be a nuisance.

Reaction from Alice Burton
Animal welfare advocate & trainer
Former animal control officer
Director of Programs @alleycatallies

Reaction from Mary and Beverly

These are the defense attorneys, Bill Shashy (right) and Terry Luck (left)

Here is the prosecutor Brad Ekdahl
He successfully (because he won) claimed that cats were in someway causing damage to county vehicles. The defense had an expert on who said rodents would cause some of the alleged damage (eating through a fire wall) to vehicles, not cats.

Here’s the judge, Jeff Courtney. He was hired by the mayor/city to be the judge, & he participated in a group hand held prayer with the mayor, prosecutor, & city staff before the trial.
The prosecutor said they prayed that the trial be dignified.
I never seen something like that.

You know who wasn’t in that prayer circle? Either one of the defense attorneys.

A couple more things: The mayor of the city of Wetumpka testified that he had no idea what TNR is: Trap neuter return.

Also, the women will appeal. They want a jury trial. And they have informed the city of their intention to file a civil lawsuit against the city.

Wetumpka Municipal Judge Jeff Courtney sentenced Mary Alston, 61, & Beverly Roberts, 85, to 2 years unsupervised probation & $50 fines plus court costs for each charge. He also added a suspended sentence of 10 days in jail for both women.