Washington: Deborah Kingcade and James Kingcade, who were running a rescue called "Emerald City Thoroughbred Project", has their animal cruelty arrest warrants quashed after they appear in court

WASHINGTON -- Arrest warrants for a Cle Elum couple facing animal cruelty charges were quashed in Kittitas County Superior Court on Monday.

Superior Court Judge Scott Sparks quashed the warrants after James and Deborah Kingcade appeared in court. The warrants were issued after the couple failed to appear on Friday.

 

Defense Attorney Etoy Alford, who asked to withdraw from the case, has since agreed to continue as James Kingcade's attorney.

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.

The Kingcades' trial is set for Jan. 24, with a pretrial hearing on Dec. 30.

 

(Daily Record-News - Dec 9, 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
• 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"