Convictions in Two Horrific Animal Cruelty Cases Overshadowed by Court’s Sentencing Limits

GRENADA, Miss. (Press Release) — In Defense of Animals (IDA), the international animal protection organization that operates Hope Animal Sanctuary in Grenada, won convictions last week in two animal cruelty investigations. On April 15, IDA appeared in a Yalobusha County courtroom for the arraignment of Oli Jordan from Water Valley. Jordan was charged in the starvation of a herd of 25 horses, including six horses who died from starvation. Then, on April 17 IDA appeared in a Tallahatchie County courtroom for the arraignment of Jason Smith of Cascilla, Smith was charged in the starvation of his six donkeys, including five of whom died from starvation.

In both cases IDA cruelty investigators were stunned at the suffering the animals had endured and the fact that neither Jordan, nor Smith had taken any steps to alleviate the suffering. “It’s beyond understanding how anyone could watch the slow and agonizing death of any creature. The acute suffering these horses and donkeys experienced by dehydration and starvation is incomprehensible,” Director of Hope Animal Sanctuary Doll Stanley said.

Following the investigations, Stanley filed affidavits charging Oli Jordan and Jason Smith with animal cruelty. At the Yalobusha County arraignment, Jordan entered a plea of no contest. Advised of his rights, he cooperated with the court and accepted the court ruling of guilty to 19 counts of animal cruelty. He was sentenced to a fine of $100 for each count, $1,900, court costs of $3,511.25, and 50 days of incarceration. At the Tallahatchie County arraignment, Mr. Smith pleaded guilty to six counts of failure to provide adequate and wholesome food and water to his donkeys and received a fine of $100 on each count, court costs of $64 per count, and a suspended 30-day jail sentence.

“These weak sentences were expected, but knowing that didn’t diminish the sadness we felt as we left the court room,” Stanley said. “Many traffic violations carry far greater penalties than the maximum penalties for animal cruelty in Mississippi. I doubt anyone believes that these two sentences would even begin to equal justice for the months of suffering these animals endured.”

Two years ago the Mississippi State Legislature amended the penal code addressing animal cruelty by limiting the number of affidavits for dogs and cats per cruelty case to just one, and limited the fine to $100 for other species. For the twenty years prior, cruelty charges had carried equal penalties for all species and a count for each animal harmed, with no limit.

Hope Animal Sanctuary is caring for and still in need of aid for the 19 horses and 1 donkey that survived in these cases. People offering help may contact Hope Animal Sanctuary at 662-809-4483.