Gerri Butler, 61, was charged in May after deputies seized 12 horses, three dogs, three cats and a donkey from her property at St. Mary’s Road in Lowesville.
While contractors used heavy equipment to remove trash, they discovered two decomposing horses, according to the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office.
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| Gerri Butler |
The Sheriff’s Office reported three horses had to be euthanized for medical reasons.
Online court records show Butler now faces 22 counts of animal cruelty, four counts of having inadequate space for the animals, three counts of failing to obtain a license for the animals, three counts of not having proof of vaccinations and one count of failure to bury or cremate an animal.
All of these charges qualify as misdemeanors in Virginia.
Butler was set to appear for trial in Amherst General District Court in November.
Shortly after the judge called Butler’s case, Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Tim Griffin chose to nolle prosequi all the charges against her. Nolle prosequi is a legal term meaning the prosecution would not pursue the charges.
Griffin explained in November this could allow him to take up the case later on though he would not discuss the reasoning behind his decision.
Monday afternoon, Griffin confirmed he will move forward with the case.
Butler is set to appear Thursday morning for an attorney advisement. If convicted on these charges, Butler could face a maximum sentence of 28 years in prison.
(News Advance - Dec 15, 2014)
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