ILLINOIS -- In a turn of events brought on largely by the election of a new Kane County state's attorney, Aurora resident Lynda Smith will not face felony animal cruelty charges.
On Nov. 30, former state's attorney Meg Gorecki said Smith faced a possible grand jury indictment after Judge William Brady vacated her July plea to misdemeanor animal cruelty because Smith never signed a waiver of her right to a jury trial on the day of her conviction. Gorecki left office Dec. 1.
The charges stem from Smith's possession of 26 cats and one dog in August and September 2003.
Debra Bree, Kane County assistant state's attorney, said Thursday that she "reviewed the case with John Barsanti, our new state's attorney, and we decided we're not going to take the case to the grand jury for felony charges.
"We've reviewed the evidence, the facts and circumstances of the case and we're just going to go ahead and proceed with a misdemeanor at this time."
Smith said Thursday that she was surprised with the news.
"I'm not guilty," she said, "and I didn't understand how they could do that because I didn't kill animals."
(Chicago Tribune - December 10, 2004)
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