Four legged friends (and enemies): Alabama: Former Lawrence County Animal Control director Bobbie Taylor has appealed her guilty conviction

Friday, June 17, 2016

Alabama: Former Lawrence County Animal Control director Bobbie Taylor has appealed her guilty conviction

ALABAMA -- Former Lawrence County Animal Control director Bobbie Taylor has appealed her guilty conviction in an effort to get her case in front of a jury in Circuit Court.

Taylor's attorney, Tony Hughes, filed the notice of appeal Tuesday.

District Judge Angela Terry found Taylor guilty of second-degree animal cruelty June 3 and sentenced Taylor to 30 days in Lawrence County Jail, which was suspended pending restitution payments.

The defendant also was fined $250 in crime victim compensation fees and $100 in bail bond fees.

Taylor was originally charged with 17 counts of animal abuse and neglect after the Moulton Police Department and the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals found about 300 animals in unsanitary conditions at her shelter in June 2015.

The investigation was initiated by an animal abuse complaint given to police in June.

Terry dismissed two of the charges due to vagueness during a bench trial May 25. Hughes said at the time of the court appearance, Taylor was stipulating to the other charges so she could appeal the case to Circuit Court, where a jury will hear her case.

Hughes said it could take several months to get the case to Circuit Court.

Hughes has previously said Taylor wouldn't have the heart to harm the animals. Taylor has sheltered the county's strays at her Lawrence County 170 residence since 1999. In August 2013, she was paid $15 per animal by the County Commission.

Commissioners terminated an $80,000 annual contract with Taylor when Moulton police received the abuse complaint.