Black Forest woman, Sherri Brunzell, found guilty of 8 counts of animal cruelty

TEXAS -- Not long after Lisa Forbus settled into a jury box to hear testimony about how 14 horses died and others went malnourished, one thing became painfully clear: Sherri Brunzell was in over her head.

Forbus - along with two other women and three men - returned a mixed verdict against Brunzell on Friday regarding the animals found alive on her Black Forest property.

The jury found Brunzell, 63, guilty of eight counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals involving eight horses, but not guilty on six other counts relating to two horses and four llamas.

"Even if she got in over her head, she should have asked for help, and she didn't," Forbus said.

Prosecutor Shannon Gerhart said she was "happy" for the verdict, a sentiment shared by advocates for the animals found on Brunzell's property near Burgess and Milam roads.

"Any guilty verdict is a good verdict," said Anna Blake, a founding member of Horse Advocates of Colorado.

Prosecutors painted a picture of ongoing neglect by Brunzell, suggesting that she failed to regularly groom her horses or trim their hooves - while showing a disdain for veterinarians and dentists.
Several animals were seized from the property, and the remains of 14 horses were found in a barn.

But when she took the stand Thursday, Brunzell pushed back - saying she offered the animals more than enough water and fed horses hay, though she didn't believe in giving them grains.

When asked why some of the 10 horses were losing weight, she first questioned the quality of the hay she was giving them. But after nearly two hours of testimony, she said she believed the feed supplement she gave them was possibly contaminated.

Expert testimony played a key role in the jury's decision, Forbus said.

The horse's body scores, along with the presence of ulcers in their mouths, the conditions of their hooves and their stalls resonated most powerfully, she said.

 

The two horses that prompted not guilty verdicts appeared "somewhat healthier" than the other horses, and the llamas were "pretty healthy," said Lawrence Hernandez, another juror. Still, it was clear that "a lot of care wasn't being taken," he said.

Forbus said the situation was simply "sad."

"I think that's what the jury had the hardest time saying, was we can't set a precedent that if you get in over your head, that's OK," she said.

Brunzell is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 13.

(The Gazette - May 30, 2015)

Earlier (Sherri Brunzell case):

• Horses Recovering At Animal Rescue
• Woman At Center Of Animal Cruelty Case Will Not Get Animals Back For Now
• Horse neglect case has horse owners asking questions