Nellie Palacios, 43, made her second out-of-court appearance Tuesday in the case since her Jan. 2 arrest by sheriff’s deputies on suspicion of burglary and animal cruelty.
She has been charged with one felony count of animal cruelty and appeared before Superior Court Judge John McGregor for further arraignment but didn’t enter a plea to the charge, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
The hearing was continued to 8:30 a.m. Feb. 11.
Deputies responded to an Orcutt residence on Jan. 2 after a man at the home called 911, alleging his girlfriend, Palacios, went inside the house and began removing paintings off the wall. He also reported seeing her choking and stabbing a cat with a large knife, according to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
Palacios was in the yard when deputies arrived and reportedly told officers the cat, which died from stab wounds, attacked her and she acted in self-defense. Deputies found the cat inside an Igloo-style doghouse in the yard and a kitchen knife covered in blood and cat fur under the doghouse, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
McGregor released Palacios from custody earlier this month with the condition that she take court-ordered, doctor-prescribed medication.
If convicted of animal cruelty, Palacios faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail and a fine of up to $20,000.
(Santa Maria Times - Jan 29, 2014)
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