WETUMPKA – The City of Wetumpka is not pursuing legal fees in opposition to two native girls in reference to their feeding of stray cats, however the fees may be refiled till June 25.
Beverly Roberts, 84, and Mary Alston, 60 have been arrested by Wetumpka police on June 25, on misdemeanor fees. In December, Wetumpka Municipal Judge Jeff Courtney discovered each girls responsible; Roberts of legal trespassing and disorderly conduct and Alston of legal trespassing and obstructing governmental operations. He sentenced them each to 2 years probation and 10 days in jail. The jail sentence was suspended.
The trial in Wetumpka Municipal Court took about 5 hours and sometimes devolved into the emotional and weird. The girls filed an enchantment to Elmore County Circuit Court. The date for the trial was pending till Wednesday.
City prosecutor Kenny James filed a movement looking for each instances be “nolle execs” a authorized time period that means the town doesn’t want to proceed prosecution presently, courtroom information present. Circuit Judge Amanda Baxley granted the motions, information present.
The fees haven’t been dropped, however Wetumpka prosecutors have one yr after their June 25 arrest to reinstate the fees in opposition to Roberts and Alston.
James’ motions didn’t have any feedback concerning the metropolis’s causes for taking the steps, and Baxley entered her resolution with out remark. The girls’s protection attorneys, Terry Luck and William Shashy, couldn’t be reached for remark. James couldn’t be reached for remark.
News of the ladies’s arrests and convictions drew nationwide and worldwide media consideration, with individuals expressing opposition to their harsh remedy. Police physique digicam footage entered into proof confirmed three police automobiles confirmed as much as arrest the ladies that day.
Alston and Roberts have been identified to native authorities for his or her work feeding stray cats within the downtown space and in addition trapping them to get neutered or spayed. The girls paid for fixing the cats with their very own money.
Contact Montgomery Advertiser reporter Marty Roney at [email protected].
This article initially appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama city not pursuing fees in opposition to ‘cat women’
