Jury selection underway in New Brockton animal cruelty case

Jury selection is underway for the trial of New Brockton Mayor Lenwood Herron who is facing second-degree animal cruelty charges.

According to Circuit Judge Thomas Head, the trial is expected to begin on Monday.

Head quashed an attempt by Herron's attorney Letta Gorman in December to dismiss charges against the town mayor.

Gorman argued at a Dec. 5 hearing her client could not be held liable for alleged animal cruelty at the town's animal shelter, which prosecutors argue occurred under Herron's watch as mayor.

A May 2011 Coffee County grand jury indicted Herron and animal control officer Tony Bloodsworth on misdemeanor animal cruelty charges - about two weeks after law enforcement began investigating the animal shelter.

After being notified about the indictment, Herron turned himself in at the Coffee County Jail June 6. He was later released under a $300 bond.

Almost a week following Herron's arrest, Bloodsworth was arrested on a grand jury warrant, with his bond set at $300.

Herron and Bloodsworth will have separate trials. Jury selection for Bloodsworth's trial is expected to begin late this afternoon or tomorrow.

The trials come on the heels of a complaint and an investigation into conditions at the animal shelter.

When officials with the Coffee County Sheriff's Department arrived at the shelter, they allegedly found four dogs living in feces inside a cage. Each animal, including two puppies, was found in need of medical attention, with undrinkable water and insect-infested food.

An additional dog was chained outside the shelter without food or water.

About 24 hours after the shelter was discovered, a puppy died.

While at the New Brockton shelter in May, Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton voiced a warning that those found to be responsible for the shelter would be prosecuted.

Following an investigation by the sheriff's department, Sutton said investigators identified Herron and Bloodsworth as the individuals responsible for the shelter.

"I feel both people were responsible and the evidence shows that," Sutton said. "A law has been broken and the canines suffered."