by BRIAN MOSELEY
Cross-posted from the Shelbyville Times-Gazette
Horse trainer Jackie McConnell, right, leaves the Joel W. Solomon Federal Courthouse downtown with his attorney Hugh Moore on Thursday afternoon after a hearing in federal court. McConnell has been indicted for 52 counts of violations of the Horse Protection Act along with co-defendants Jeff Dockery, John Mays, and Joseph Abernathy for allegedly participating in what is known as horse soring, an abusive practice which causes walking horses to lift their legs higher for shows. Mays received a slap on the wrist. The Sentencing Hearing is now scheduled for Sept. 18 for the three remaining defendants including McConnell.
Sentencing for the remaining defendants in a widely publicized horse soring case has been reset for later in September despite objections from federal prosecutors.
U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. has continued sentencing for Jackie L. McConnell, 60, Jeff Dockery, 54, and Joseph R. Abernathy, 30 until Sept. 18 at 2 p.m. EDT at the federal courthouse in Chattanooga.
The three pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy to violate the Horse Protection Act. Read more >>
What a travesty this all is. “A single count of conspiracy”, although serious in nature, pales into insignificance against the extreme cruelties McConnell in particular inflicted on the horses shown in an undercover video acquired by the Humane Society of the United States.
The HSUS video has now been uploaded on YouTube.
ABC NIGHTLINE, BRIAN ROSS INVESTIGATES
Warning: Disturbing Images
Tuesday's Horse 
Too bad the good ol’ boy politics may interfere with the justice of this case, the video released speaks volumns to what these people do to animals daily all in the name of making money…. sad that they won’t rot in prison. And the owners of these animals are just as guilty if they won’t stand up for their animals rights.
LikeLike
Watch the judge because you know he’s bud’s with all of the horse breeders in this area and possibly the state. If he was voted into office as a judge he was given donations by the breeders, all their friends, trainers, and every person connected to the walking horse organizations. All of them watch each others backs. And Mays getting a slap on the wrist when he should have got a prison cell tells you what is really going on.
LikeLike
All I have to say about this is I PRAY that he gets the maximum penalties and rots in prison ……..I know this worthless piece of shit so called human and I hope he pays the ultimate price for the cruel, horrific abuse he has inflicted on 100’s of horses…Jackie McConnell you are a worthless piece of garbage that needs to be locked away to rot in prison …The bad part is we as citizens have to foot the bill for your sorry ***!
LikeLike
Right on PEGGY. This sicko has to be behind bars for a long long time. Why the delay?
LikeLike