Alert 11/7/08 November Court Watch
A partial November Court Watch was sent out on 11/6/08 and included only the cases of Annie Davis and Theresa Gordon, both just below. Since that was sent out, the case for Annie Davis has been continued to 1/9/09.
Check the cases below, attend those you can, and let prosecutors know of your support.
Of particular concern is the Michael Vick case on 11/25/08. Apparently nothing will happen to him under Virginia law even though he has reportedly pleaded guilty. Does anyone have any ideas how to make this different? Will it ever be time to let the Vick atrocities rest? Those of you in Surry County might well take a most active role in any next steps.
We will distribute a separate alert about Surry County and Michael Vick, hopefully in the next day.
Lillian Clancy and Don Marro
11/7/08 Friday
11:00 am
Defendant: Annie L. Davis
Richmond County General District Court
201 Court Circle, Warsaw, VA 22572
clerk: 804-333-4616
charges: larceny of dog; false report to law enforcement
background:
Annie Davis, who takes in abandoned and abused dogs, claims the dog she is accused of stealing was Sawyer, a deer hound she rescued from King William County Pound in 2007 but who ran off in Fall, 2007. On 12/6/07, Theresa Gordon (see case below) asked Ms. Davis to take in a dog that had been hanging around her house for several days, and the dog turned out to be Sawyer. Sawyer’s collar provided a name and number, and when called, Donald Clark of Montross in the Northern Neck said he was working in Maryland and could not immediately come to pick up the dog. Subsequently, Richmond County deputies came to Ms. Davis’s home looking for a “stolen dog”. Several days later (2/25/08), deputies in four patrol cars arrested Ms. Davis at her home, charging her with larceny of a dog (a class 5 felony) and filing a false report to law enforcement (class 1 misdemeanor).
action anticipated: trial
NOTE: continued from 3/7/08 to 4/18/08 to 8/1/08 to 10/3/08 to 11/7/08
results: case continued until 1/9/09
11/7/08 Friday
11:00 am
Defendant: Theresa Ellen Gordon
Richmond County General District Court
201 Court Circle, Warsaw, VA 22572
clerk: 804-333-4616
charges: larceny of dog; removal of transmittal collar; grand larceny
background:
Theresa Gordon is charged with:
larceny of a dog (a class 5 felony);
removing a radio transmittal collar (a class 1 misdemeanor that carries a maximum sentence of 12 months in jail); and
grand larceny of that collar (a felony with a maximum sentence of 20 years).
Ms. Gordon was arrested on 2/25/08 along with Ms. Davis. (See case above.)
action anticipated: trial
NOTE: continued from 3/7/08 to 4/18/08 to 8/1/08 to 10/3/08 to 11/7/08
11/13/08 Thursday
2:00 pm
Defendant: Luis Aguirre Martinez
US District Court, Western District of Virginia (Federal Court)
Federal Courthouse, 210 Franklin Road SW; Roanoke, VA 24011
540-434-3181
charges: cockfighting; illegal gambling
background:
Martinez and two co-defendants, Dale Moreland and Charles Kingrea, operated a cockfighting ring in Page County, VA, and were charged with conspiring to sponsor and exhibit an animal fighting venue and to finance said gambling business involving betting. Interstate money laundering was involved. Martinez pleaded guilty (3/17/08) to felony counts against him before his case went to trial.
action anticipated: sentencing
NOTE: This has been continued by Order of the Court from 10/3/08 and 10/14/08.
11/14/08 Friday
2:00 pm
Defendant: Lynda Houck
Chesapeake City General District Court
307 Albemarle Drive, Chesapeake, VA 23322
757-382-3134
charges: various charges of inadequate shelter and care; one charge of cruelty for failure to provide emergency medical care; a new charge filed 9/10/08 of depriving animal of food/shelter which is a class 1 misdemeanor
background:
Chesapeake Police and Animal Control Officers conducted a raid on Lynda Houck’s facility 10/07. Ms Houck faces 11 charges which were filed 10/07, including not having enough space and not keeping the area clean and safe. She is also charged with failing to provide emergency veterinary treatment to a suffering cat. In addition, a new charge was filed (see “charges” above) 9/10/08.
action anticipated: trial
NOTE: continued from 11/29/07 to 1/31/08 to 3/27/08 to 5/1/08 to 6/10/08 to 8/21/08 to 11/14/08
11/14/08 Friday
time not known
Defendant: Brenda Dodson
Fairfax County Circuit Court
4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
703-691-7320
charges: defendant pleaded guilty to one count of grand larceny & one count of animal cruelty
action anticipated: sentencing
NOTE: incomplete information
11/20/08 Thursday
2 pm
Defendant: Brenda Dodson
Fairfax County General District Court
charges: violation of probation
action anticipated: not clear
NOTE: incomplete information
11/25/08 Tuesday
9:00 am
Defendant: Anthony (Tony) Taylor
Surry County Circuit Court
NOTE: Surry County Circuit Court is undergoing renovations, so proceedings will take place at the Sussex County Circuit Court, 15088 Courthouse Road, Sussex, VA 23884
NOTE: questions regarding this case should be directed to Surry County Circuit Court Clerk Gail P. Clayton
Phone: 757-294-3161 Fax: 757-294-0471
charges: three felony counts of cruelty to animals and one felony count of dogfighting
background:
Anthony Taylor is a dogfighting co-defendant of Michael Vick. Mr. Taylor pleaded guilty to one federal count of conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of illegal gambling and to sponsor a dog in animal fighting and served two months in federal prison. Mr. Taylor was indicted by the Grand Jury of Surry County on 9/25/07. He faces three counts of cruelty to animals and one count of dogfighting under Virginia law.
action anticipated: trial
NOTE: continued from 11/27/07 to 5/27/08 to 7/22/08 to 9/23/08 to 11/25/08
11/25/08 Tuesday
9:00 am
Defendant: Michael Vick
Surry County Circuit Court
NOTE: Surry County Circuit Court is undergoing renovations, so proceedings will take place at the Sussex County Circuit Court, 15088 Courthouse Road, Sussex, VA 23884
NOTE: questions should be directed to the Surry County Circuit Court Clerk, Gail P. Clayton gclayton@courts.state.va.us
phone: 757-294-3161 fax: 757-294-0471
charges: one felony count of dogfighting and one felony count of cruelty to animals
background:
Michael Vick pleaded guilty in federal court for dogfighting conspiracy and is now serving a 23 month sentence in federal prison. Mr. Vick has also been charged with two Virginia state felony counts -- beating or killing or causing dogs to fight other dogs and engaging in or promoting dogfighting. Mr. Vick has indicated his desire to plead guilty to state charges and sought to plead guilty to Virginia charges via video teleconference on 10/30/08. However, Surry County Circuit Court Judge Samuel E. Campbell has directed that Mr. Vick must appear in person to face these charges. It has been reported that a plea agreement has been signed by all parties, in which Mr. Vick agrees to a three-year suspended prison term and a $2,500 fine, with the fine suspended if Mr. Vick pays court costs and maintains good behavior for four years.
To read about the Surry County plea agreement, see:
http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/falcons/stories/2008/10/30/vick_video_request_denied.html
action anticipated: entry of guilty plea and sentencing
NOTE: this case has been continued for over a year; it now appears that the reasons were to let this die down, and allow for no consequences to Mr. Vick imposed by Virginia for his felonious behavior
11/25/08 Tuesday
1:00 pm
Defendant: Patricia Louise Cohan NOTE: AKA Patricia Cohan-Kinlaw
Southampton County General District Court
22350 Main Street, Courtland, VA 23837
Clerk: Belinda J. Jones
757-653-2673
charges: 1 class 4 misdemeanor count: failure to care for animals (21 cats)
1 class 4 misdemeanor count: no adequate vet care when needed
1 misdemeanor count: no valid dog licenses (22 dogs)
1 misdemeanor count: failure to have required general license
background:
Cohan was charged with running an unlicensed kennel and keeping the animals in poor health conditions after police served a search warrant at her home on 6/27/08, finding 22 unlicensed dogs including eight puppies. Some adult dogs are reported to have had “open sores around the head areas, as well as dogs showing signs of infections and problems with their hips” according to an affidavit from Southampton Animal Warden James Cooke. Mr. Cooke also said that he had visited the property previously in the company of a state veterinarian and had noted problems with the animals.
action anticipated: preliminary hearing
NOTE: continued from 8/5/08 to 10/7/08 to 11/25/08
11/25/08 Tuesday
2:00 pm
Defendant: Jacqueline VanHorn
Chesapeake City General District Court
307 Albemarle Drive, Chesapeake, VA 23322
757-382-3134
Clerk: Deborah E. Ellington
charges: class 4 misdemeanor as a public nuisance
background:
A neighbor complained about barking dogs. It is reported that the rescue, Web of Life Animal Rescue, has 15 dogs including several Katrina rescues and 3 dogs involved with the military (a beagle whose owner is in Iraq, a retired military dog with two tours of duty in Iraq, and another dog with Afghanistan service).
action anticipated: trial
NOTE: continued from 10/28/08