Here we have again a case of someone having their life turned completely upside down only to be found not guilty or have the charges all dropped. See the article I am also crossposting today regarding the money driving this hysteria and the seizures. Following the money is often a big indicator of the real purpose of these movements. I hope she files suit against the county for restitution for the loss of her livelihood and reputation on these bogus charges.
Hog-Dog Fighting Charges Against Former Animal Control Director Dropped
August 14, 2008
CHESTER, S.C. -- Vicky Stultz feels like she can finally start her life over again. Animal fighting charges against her have been dropped.
"It's been a rough four years." Stultz was Chester County's animal control director until January of 2005. A month earlier in December she was charged with misconduct in office and animal fighting and baiting. Stultz was arrested after attending what's known as a hog-dogging event. That's where bulldogs chase wild hogs, and pin them down. The hogs have had their tusks removed.
In December of 2004 police raided a wooded area near Richburg, and later seized 95 dogs and 15 hogs from the property of Arthur Parker Senior and Mary Luther. They were charged with running the event.
Stultz said animal control had dispatched her out there several times to observe the events. "I never saw any laws being broken," she said.
Prosecutors called hog-dogging a "vicious blood sport" and took Parker and Luther to trial in 2005. The couple defended the practice as part of a catch-dog training association that trains dogs to catch and hold wild hogs, not a cruel fight.
Parker and Luther were acquitted, but the charges against Stultz were not dropped until just weeks ago. Stultz just received the official notice about her case this week.
‘I was like, thank God, we finally made it through this," she said.
Her attorney Leland Greeley said the same. "I'm just glad this is now done," he said.
Thursday afternoon we asked the attorney general's office about why it took so long to drop the charges against Stultz after they lost the case against parker and Luther.
Spokesman Mark Plowden said he still believes Stultz broke the law, but they couldn't prove it in court.
"I think the law was violated," Plowden said, "But we knew that parts of that law needed to be cleaned up."
Plowden said following the failure to convict Parker and Luther the attorney general's office pushed the legislature to toughen the state's animal fighting laws. They did, and current state law specifically makes hog-dogging a five-year felony.
Plowden says the law in 2004 was simply too vague Since Stultz would have to be tried under the old law; the charges against her were finally dropped.
Stultz said after losing her job and facing depression she relied on her children to get her through. "They paid my house payment for me, and kept my life going," she said.
She's not sure what she'll do now, but wants to leave the state for a while. Something she couldn't do for the last four years out of jail on bond.
"I will get out of town for a while now that I legally can," she said. "That's four years of my life that were taken from me. I'll never get those Four years back."
https://www.wsoctv.com/news/17194027/detail.html
"It's been a rough four years." Stultz was Chester County's animal control director until January of 2005. A month earlier in December she was charged with misconduct in office and animal fighting and baiting. Stultz was arrested after attending what's known as a hog-dogging event. That's where bulldogs chase wild hogs, and pin them down. The hogs have had their tusks removed.
In December of 2004 police raided a wooded area near Richburg, and later seized 95 dogs and 15 hogs from the property of Arthur Parker Senior and Mary Luther. They were charged with running the event.
Stultz said animal control had dispatched her out there several times to observe the events. "I never saw any laws being broken," she said.
Prosecutors called hog-dogging a "vicious blood sport" and took Parker and Luther to trial in 2005. The couple defended the practice as part of a catch-dog training association that trains dogs to catch and hold wild hogs, not a cruel fight.
Parker and Luther were acquitted, but the charges against Stultz were not dropped until just weeks ago. Stultz just received the official notice about her case this week.
‘I was like, thank God, we finally made it through this," she said.
Her attorney Leland Greeley said the same. "I'm just glad this is now done," he said.
Thursday afternoon we asked the attorney general's office about why it took so long to drop the charges against Stultz after they lost the case against parker and Luther.
Spokesman Mark Plowden said he still believes Stultz broke the law, but they couldn't prove it in court.
"I think the law was violated," Plowden said, "But we knew that parts of that law needed to be cleaned up."
Plowden said following the failure to convict Parker and Luther the attorney general's office pushed the legislature to toughen the state's animal fighting laws. They did, and current state law specifically makes hog-dogging a five-year felony.
Plowden says the law in 2004 was simply too vague Since Stultz would have to be tried under the old law; the charges against her were finally dropped.
Stultz said after losing her job and facing depression she relied on her children to get her through. "They paid my house payment for me, and kept my life going," she said.
She's not sure what she'll do now, but wants to leave the state for a while. Something she couldn't do for the last four years out of jail on bond.
"I will get out of town for a while now that I legally can," she said. "That's four years of my life that were taken from me. I'll never get those Four years back."
https://www.wsoctv.com/news/17194027/detail.html