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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Lee Enterprises

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 11:22 PM CST
Rose won't have to pay more for horse neglect

By MIKE RIOPELL, JG/T-C Springfield Bureau

SPRINGFIELD — A Charleston landowner convicted last year of mistreating more than 70 horses doesn’t have to pay Coles County any more money for their care, an appeals court ruled Wednesday.

Ernest C. Rose was convicted last year of neglecting horses. He was ordered to pay Coles County about $14,000 because the county took care of the animals after seizing them from Rose.

That much money covered the care of the first batch of horses that were seized from Rose’s farm.

But Coles County State’s Attorney Steve Ferguson had argued Rose should have to pay the

county an additional $68,000 for the rest of them that were taken later.

The court on Wednesday, disagreed.

The Fourth District Appellate Court ruled the horses removed later were taken illegally, so Rose doesn’t have to pay the added costs for care. The appeals court agreed with the ruling of the county judge “in all aspects,” the ruling said.

Justices Thomas Appleton and John McCullough made the ruling, with Justice Sue Myerscough disagreeing.

When convicted, Rose was sentenced to not only pay the fines, but also jail time and two years of probation.

Contact Mike Riopell at mike.riopell@lee.net or 789-0865

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prairieguy wrote on Nov 18, 2009 4:37 PM:

" Another miscarriage of justice. This sleazeball should've been thrown in a jail cell and starved half to death like the horses he criminally neglected. "

61938 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 4:43 PM:

" ferguson couldn't argue his way out of a wet paper bag, yet alone win a court case. Now Coles County will never see this $68,000. Once again we get exactly what the miscreants elected, an incompetent clown that would have never made it working in the private sector. "

BigDaddy wrote on Nov 18, 2009 4:49 PM:

" Looking like we taxpayers in coles county are stuck with the bill AGAIN! "

Rockin Rotty wrote on Nov 18, 2009 8:14 PM:

" I'm not even going to get started on Doc Rose.... my posts would never see the light of day. Nuff said. "

jrhendren wrote on Nov 18, 2009 11:31 PM:

" 61938 wrote on Nov 18, 2009 4:43 PM:
" ferguson couldn't argue his way out of a wet paper bag, yet alone win a court case. Now Coles County will never see this $68,000. Once again we get exactly what the miscreants elected, an incompetent clown that would have never made it working in the private sector. "

Once again you let your bias toward Ferguson lead you to the wrong place. It was not him, but the judges who stuck it to the county. You say, "ferguson couldn't argue his way out of a wet paper bag,...". I guess that means you were there to hear his arguments right? I mean you would not accuse someone of arguing a case poorly without facts would you? If you are going to me angry about the case it should be directed towards the judges involved not the S.A. "

Michael wrote on Nov 19, 2009 8:43 AM:

" The appeals court judges made the right decision. The problem rests with the States Attorney's office who advised law enforcement that they did not NEED another warrant to remove the additional horses. Now WE pay the price for that poor advice. "

~STRANGER~ wrote on Nov 19, 2009 10:41 AM:

" LMFAO @ jail time,rose wasn't incarcerated long enough to even dry off from the shower, you are required to take upon entry to the jail.
Not surprizing though, considering who prosecuted the case. "