Washington: After they don't show up for court to answer for animal cruelty charges, arrest warrants issued for Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade who were running a horse rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project"

WASHINGTON -- A warrant has been issued for a Cle Elum couple who are facing animal cruelty charges after they didn't show up in court on Friday.

Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade, owners of Emerald City Thoroughbred Project in Cle Elum, did not show up for a hearing on Friday in Kittitas County Superior Court.

Judge Scott Sparks issued a warrant for their arrest and a bond of $10,000.

The Kingcades face two counts of first-degree animal cruelty and 12 counts of second-degree animal cruelty after the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office seized 14 horses from their residence. The horses were allegedly malnourished and in poor health.

The Kingcades pleaded not guilty in June. The couple said several of the horses were underfed by previous owners before they rescued them, according to a legal petition filed in the court.

 

 

James Kingcade's defense attorney Etoy Alford withdrew from the case on Friday.

The seized horses were initially taken to a barn at the Kittitas Valley Event Center at the fairgrounds where volunteers helped care for the animals. They all made a full recovery.

 

(Daily Record-News - Dec 3, 2016)

Earlier:

• Washington: Fourteen starving horses seized from rescue "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project" run by Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade
• Washington: Fourteen horses, allegedly abused at rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project" by Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade, make full recovery; being adopted