A Fremont County jury deliberated for an hour Friday before finding Penny Gingerich not guilty of 39 counts of animal cruelty.
Gingerich, 42, burst into tears. Family and friends let out audible sighs of relief.
after the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office seized horses from her property Jan. 20. That was later amended to 39 counts.
Gingerich’s horses were seized after the . During the trial, prosecutors said Gingerich offered excuses during the sheriff’s office investigation.
But Gingerich’s attorney James Cook argued she treated her horses the way a reasonable person would and compared her treatment of the horses to a instance when he was busy and forgot to feed his dog before going to work and fed her extra later.
Cook plans to file a motion to get Gingerich’s horses returned.
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