43
A Youngstown judge wanted to send a man to jail for neglecting his dogs
YOUNGSTOWN
A judge told a Youngstown man convicted of animal cruelty for neglecting and failing to properly feed five dogs that he should get the same treatment as his former pets.
“I would love to lock you up and have the sheriff forget to feed you for a while,” Youngstown Municipal Court Judge Elizabeth A. Kobly told William Clemons, 46, of North Gray Avenue, during his sentencing Thursday. “Then you’d feel what these animals felt for an extended period of time.”
What kept Clemons from getting a 90-day Mahoning County jail sentence, the judge said, is he still owns and cares for six other dogs.
Putting Clemons in jail and not feeding him “certainly wouldn’t serve society,” Judge Kobly said. “It certainly wouldn’t serve the dogs in your care.”
Instead, the judge sentenced Clemons to 60 days of house arrest at his expense and one year’s probation. She also ordered him to pay a $250 fine and $1,200 to the Animal Charity Humane Society for medical bills for the five dogs.
The society also spent about $15,000 in boarding costs for the five dogs. A June 17 hearing is scheduled to determine if Clemons is responsible to pay any of those costs.
While under house arrest, Clemons will be allowed to leave his home only to go to work. If he violates the house-arrest rules, she’d send him to jail, Judge Kobly said.
Clemons was charged with the misdemeanor March 13, 2014, when Animal Charity workers found five emaciated dogs chained on his property in the cold without food and water.
Taking care of the dogs “got away from me,” Clemons told the judge.
He later said, “I should have fed them more. That’s the mistake I made.”
Clemons said he had bags of dog food in his house and didn’t feed his five outdoor dogs enough.
Clemons said he wants to open a dog kennel. The judge said he wouldn’t be permitted to do that ever.
The case attracted the attention of animal-rights activists with about 30 of them standing outside city hall before the sentencing carrying signs and chanting, “No more delays.”
The case was delayed three times – twice because of a trial conflict with Thomas Zena, Clemons’ attorney, and once because the judge was ill.
Three rescheduled hearings “is highly unusual” in her court, Judge Kobly said.
“I don’t blame people for being upset,” she said. “I’d be upset, too, but we had three reasonable delays.”
After the hearing, the activists – many who sat in the courtroom during Clemons’ sentencing – said they were pleased with the sentence.
The five dogs – named Doc, Dopey, Happy, Bashful and Snow by Animal Charity – now can be adopted. Four of them have been living with foster families.
“I’m extremely pleased,” said Jason Cooke, who organized the protest. “I felt that [Clemons] got a fair punishment. I’d like to see him serve jail time, but with the animals in his care, house arrest is appropriate.”
Zena said his client doesn’t have a criminal record and never wanted to hurt the five outside. Also, Clemons is doing a good job taking care of the other six dogs, Zena said.
Robin Carr of Struthers, who’s taken care of Dopey, a pit-bull mix, since November, said she was happy with the judge’s decision and would adopt the dog.
“We’re ready to give [Dopey] a permanent home,” she said.