Whatever Happened To...
An update on past news
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Kagan has delayed animal cruelty trial
Question: What ever happened to Lucy Kagan, the dog breeder who faced animal cruelty charges for her treatment of dozens of dogs in her Hawaii Kai townhouse in 2003?
Answer: Firefighters responding to a kitchen fire at a Hawaii Kai townhouse on May 7, 2003, found 25 caged dogs living in filth, surrounded by trash, feces and roaches.
Lucy Kagan was charged with 25 counts of animal cruelty on Jan. 11, 2005. She pleaded not guilty, but her trial has been delayed repeatedly. She has changed attorneys several times and keeps trying to get the charges dismissed.
Kagan argues that the delay between the discovery of the dogs and her indictment has hurt her ability to defend herself because witnesses who could vouch for her are no longer available. She insists that she took good care of the dogs. Her renewed motion to dismiss the charges is due in Circuit Court by Oct. 25.
"We spent an awful lot of effort on getting her charged for animal cruelty," said Pamela Burns, president and CEO of the Hawaiian Humane Society. "It's been quite frustrating. She's tried every effort to delay the case. It's been one delay after another. I hope they move along with the case."
A call to Kagan's most recent court-appointed attorney, Brandon Flores, who withdrew from the case Aug. 30, was not returned. Kagan has since hired private counsel, Scott T. Strack, but he could not be reached.
Cruelty to animals is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine for each count. Burns said the case is a reminder that "if you are going to buy purebred animals, you want to see where they come from."
Kagan is on probation for theft in a separate case. She was sentenced on March 8, 2004, to 30 days in jail and five years of probation for stopping payment on a check to Kaimuki Dry Goods and failing to return merchandise worth $351.
This update was written by Susan Essoyan.
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