Case Details

33 kittens abandoned in park
Painesville, OH (US)

Incident Date: Wednesday, Aug 31, 2005
County: Lake
Local Map: available
Disposition: Convicted

Abuser/Suspect: Michelle M. Murray

Case Updates: 3 update(s) available

Case ID: 5733
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: cat
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Suspect was in animal welfare field
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A woman who authorities said was an animal rescuer has been charged with abandoning 33 kittens in two parks in northeast Ohio. Lake Metroparks rangers charged Michelle M. Murray, 25, with abandoning domestic animals, a second-degree misdemeanor.

She is scheduled to appear in Painesville Municipal Court on Oct. 13. She faces 90 days in jail and a $750 fine if convicted.

Murray told the rangers that she left the kittens they found in September 2005 because she was moving and having personal problems, Chief Ranger Mike Burko said.

Candace Hertzel, executive director of the Lake County Humane Society, said Murray came to the society on Aug. 16 and offered to take any animals that were going to be killed.

The society plans to inspect Murray's home to check for additional animals.

The humane society is looking for foster families who can nurse the sick animals back to health and care for them until they are ready to be placed for adoption. You can contact the shelter at (440) 951-6122.

Case Updates

Michelle Murray, spared from spending an entire night in snowy woods, received more mercy on Thanksgiving Day when a judge allowed her to serve the rest of her sentence at home.

Murray, 26, will serve the remainder of her 30-day penalty under house arrest, Painesville Municipal Judge Michael Cicconetti said in a news release Thursday.

Cicconetti originally ordered the Painesville Township woman to spend one night in a Lake Metroparks without shelter, food or light for dumping about 40 kittens in the Metroparks in September.

The unusual sentence drew worldwide attention.

Park rangers escorted Murray into the snow-swept forest at Concord Woods park at 7 p.m. Wednesday. Cicconetti called an end to the evening 3� hours later, saying he didn't want to jeopardize Murray's health or safety.

Forecasts called for deep snowfall and freezing temperatures.

Murray was also scheduled to spend 14 days in jail and 15 days under house arrest.
Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer - Nov 25, 2005
Update posted on Nov 29, 2005 - 5:31PM 
Michelle M. Murrayhas been sentenced to spend a night in the woods without any food, beverages except water or light.

Painesville Municipal Court Judge Michael A. Cicconetti handed down the sentence Thursday to Murray, 25, for abandoning 33 kittens in the woods at two parks in northeast Ohio.

Murray told Lake Metropark rangers that she left the kittens they found in September because she was moving and having personal problems.

She was also ordered to pay $3,200 to the Lake County Humane Society and $500 to Lake Metroparks.

This isn't the first unusual sentence for Cicconetti. In the past, he ordered a man who hollered "pigs" to police officers to stand on a street corner next to a pig.

He made a man charged with playing his car stereo too loudly sit in the woods in order to appreciate silence.

He also made a group of high school students who vandalized school buses throw a picnic for a group of grade-school students whose picnic was canceled because of the stunt.

Cicconetti also made some teens who threw rocks at cars from a bridge hold a giant sign on a busy road at Christmas saying what they did and that they were sorry.
Source: News Net 5 - Nov 17, 2005
Update posted on Nov 18, 2005 - 6:48AM 
Murray pleaded guilty on October 13 to abandoning domestic animals, a second-degree misdemeanor. She faces up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine at her Nov. 17 sentencing.

Murray apologized in court for her actions, saying she was having family problems at the time.

"My husband was going to lose his job. People asked me to take in more cats, and I told them I couldn't. Then a couple of boxes with more were left outside of my home," Murray told Painesville Municipal Court Judge Michael Cicconetti.

Cicconetti said Murray's problems were no excuse for what she did.

"These animals couldn't take care of themselves," he said. "Some of them even died."

Lake Metroparks rangers recovered the cats in Sept in two parks. Candace Hertzel, executive director of the Lake County Humane Society, said many of the cats had upper respiratory infections. Two have died in the last week.
Source: Akron Beacon Journal - Oct 14, 2005
Update posted on Oct 17, 2005 - 11:22AM 

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References

News Channel 5 - Sept 29, 2005
News Channel 5 - Oct 14, 2005

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