PETA Workers face 25 felony counts

[Guest guest]

> http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=93730 & ran=57036

>

> PETA workers face 25 felony counts in North Carolina

> By DARREN FREEMAN, The Virginian-Pilot

> © October 15, 2005 | Last updated 11:24 PM Oct. 14

>

> WINTON, N.C. - The cats and dogs two PETA employees have been charged

> with euthanizing and dumping in an Ahoskie garbage bin were killed by

> injections of pentobarbital, a barbiturate commonly used to put down

> animals, according to new warrants issued and served on Friday.

>

> Additionally, the two employees were charged with three felony counts of

> obtaining property by false pretenses. The charges allege that they

> euthanized three cats from an Ahoskie veterinarian after promising to

> find the animals new homes, according to the new warrants.

>

> PETA employees Andrew B. Cook, 24, of Virginia Beach, and Adria J.

> Hinkle, 27, of Norfolk, were served with warrants on 22 felony charges

> of animal cruelty and the three felony charges of obtaining property by

> false pretense in court on Friday.

>

> A grand jury is expected to consider formal indictments Oct. 31,

> Assistant District Attorney Donnie Taylor said.

>

> The new animal cruelty charges replaced 31 previous animal cruelty

> charges, which were dismissed.

>

> The new warrants now include more information, such as descriptions of

> animals investigators found, the causes of death and - in some

> warrants - photographs of the dead dogs.

>

> The new information was added to clarify the charges, which previously

> did not have such information as the cause of death, Taylor said.

>

> The two employees are still charged with eight misdemeanor counts of

> illegal disposal of dead animals and one count of trespassing.

>

> Both have been released on $35,000 bail, and PETA is paying their legal

> fees. PETA suspended Hinkle for 90 days and did not discipline Cook.

>

> Police began investigating this summer after carcasses of cats and dogs

> in plastic bags were found in a supermarket garbage bin in Ahoskie every

> Wednesday for four consecutive weeks. At least 80 animals were found.

>

> Officers say that on June 15 they followed a van after it left Bertie

> County's animal shelter, then staked out the garbage bins and arrested

> two PETA employees.

>

> The officers found 18 dead dogs in a bin and 13 other animal carcasses

> in the van, which was registered to PETA.

>

> PETA had been picking up animals in northeastern North Carolina since

> 2001, when a caller informed the group of poor conditions in shelters,

> according to a written apology PETA President Ingrid Newkirk sent to

> Bertie County officials.

>

> Bertie County and Northampton County officials and one Ahoskie

> veterinarian said they believed that adoptable animals would find new

> homes, while sick, injured and wild animals would be euthanized.

>

> Newkirk has since said that dumping the animals into trash bins violates

> PETA policy.

>

> PETA typically euthanizes animals in Norfolk and cremates the carcasses,

> Newkirk said in a June 17 press conference.

>

> Newkirk said at the time that the animals found in North Carolina had

> likely been given a lethal injection of a barbiturate that PETA is

> licensed to use.

>

> Bertie and Northampton officials cut ties to PETA pending trial.

>

> The counties are now euthanizing animals without help from PETA.