Lori Ehlers, chief deputy state's attorney for Brown County, said the office is still reviewing reports from law enforcers and veterinarians involved in the case. There could be a decision about charges late next week, she said.
On Nov. 9, the Brown County Sheriff's Office was called to a stable just southwest of Aberdeen because a race horse had died. A couple of days later, a second race horse died. An independent trainer who was not an employee of the stable had been hired to care for the horses, but law enforcers say he didn't provide proper care. The man rented an outdoor pen at the stable and was overseeing a total of nine horses. The surviving horses were impounded.
In other court news:
Rio W. Thompson, 26, of Aberdeen admitted he violated the terms of his probation. He will not be sentenced until a presentence investigation is finished. He was on probation for a previous aggravated assault charge. According to court paperwork, he broke probation rules by committing a simple assault.
Aggravated assault is a felony punishable by as much as 15 years in prison and a $30,000 fine.
Travis E. Durnin, 19, of Aberdeen pleaded guilty to possession of with intent to distribute 1 to 10 pounds of marijuana. He was not sentenced.
The charge stems from incidents on June 27, according to court paperwork. The crime is a felony punishable by as much as 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. In exchange for his guilty plea, other charges were dismissed.
Durnin also pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor county of intentional damage of property in a separate case. That charge stems from his damaging a pickup.
Brienne Ness, 32, of Aberdeen pleaded guilty to improperly obtaining the prescription painkiller hydrocodone. She was sentenced to four years in prison with two years suspended.
Ness was fined $104 and must pay $99 in testing costs. She was given credit for 119 days served. The crime is a felony punishable by as much as 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Craig H. Stein, 45, of Aberdeen pleaded guilty in Walworth County to misdemeanor counts of shooting at a buck deer with an antlerless deer tag and hunting from a motor vehicle.
On the shooting at an antlered deer charge, a 10-day jail term was suspended, and he was fined $500. On the hunting from a motor vehicle charge, he was given a 10-day suspended jail term and fined $160. His hunting privileges were suspended for a year.
