FORREST CITY — Forrest City's chief animal-control officer has been cleared of animalcruelty charges after he was accused of failing to care for dogs at the city's shelter.
Poinsett County District Judge Ron Hunter acquitted Roy Hamilton of cruelty to animals Wednesday. Hunter heard the case after St. Francis County District Judge Steve Routon recused.
Hunter said he based his decision on the testimony of Forrest City Mayor Gordon McCoy, who said that Hamilton wasn't the animal-control director on Jan. 12, when humane society members claimed that a dog at the shelter went several hours without food or water.
The judge also said he couldn't find Hamilton guilty of animalcruelty charges in relation to a time in early April in which the animals weren't cared for, because testimony showed that Hamilton was sick at the time.
Arkansas, Pages 18 on 08/30/2009