Herman Law gets no prison time for client accused of Animal Cruelty
Herman Law successfully defends clients accused of serious charges, and most recently, secured excellent plea deals for two separate clients. One of the clients is a young woman who was accused of starving her dog and cat which were found deceased in her apartment. Based on our work, we argued that law enforcement questionability obtained evidence of the location of the deceased animals. Our client explained the care of the animals was delegated to a third individual, who the police could not locate. Ultimately, our client was arrested and was facing two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts and was exposed to 12 years in Florida State Prison. However, after a successful negotiation, Attorney Herman obtained an offer for 4 months in county jail. Further, our client was permitted to be in the work release program. Our client plead guilty to two counts of felony cruelty to animals and unlawful abandonment or confinement of an animal. This hard-fought, skillfully negotiated resolution permitted the woman to avoid prison time and a felony conviction. This case highlights the need for those facing animal cruelty charges to have proper legal representation by an experienced Florida criminal defense attorney.
What is Cruelty to Animals?
In the state of Florida, animal cruelty charges include animal neglect, felony or misdemeanor animal cruelty, and even animal fighting. These charges are extremely serious charges that can lead to prison time and expensive fines.
Specifically, under Florida Statute § 828.12, treating an animal with cruelty or in an inhumane manner is a first-degree misdemeanor. This includes (1) “overloading, overdriving, or tormenting,” (2) depriving of food, water or shelter, or (3) mutilating or killing an animal in a cruel manner. Penalties for animal cruelty include up to one year in prison, a maximum fine of $5,000, or both.
Moreover, aggravated animal cruelty is third-degree felony. This involves intentionally causing an animal’s cruel death or causing an animal to experience excessive or repetitive infliction of unnecessary pain or suffering. Penalties for aggravated animal include up to five years in prison, a maximum fine of $10,000, or both.
In another high-profile case, Attorney Herman again successfully negotiated an excellent plea deal for a white-collar client facing felony charges. After extensive negotiations, we secured a highly favorable plea deal where our client agreed to plea to a single charge of official misconduct, in exchange for avoiding any felony conviction and any jail time. The Court approved the plea deal presented and agreed to allow the client to serve a 6 months sentence under house arrest, which is always much more preferable to clients who want to avoid any time in jail.
The Takeaway
In the end, these cases show that animal cruelty and official misconduct are serious charges that require an experienced and aggressive criminal defense lawyer who is respected and is a skillful negotiator, and ready to win at trial! Whether you are facing state or federal charges, Herman Law, P.A. is here to defend you! Attorney Herman has 18 years of experience and has handled over 150 jury trials over the course of his career. Call our office or complete the contact form on our website to set up a consultation.