Farm owner won’t face animal abuse charges
July 6, 2010
Simulposted with The Columbus Dispatch
A Union County grand jury has decided the owner of a Union County dairy farm caught in an abuse scandal should not face criminal charges.
A grand jury met last week and heard testimony from an Ohio Department of Agriculture veterinarian, the Union County Humane Society and others before deciding that dairy farmer Gary Conklin did nothing criminal, according to Union County Prosecutor David Phillips.
Jurors saw hours of video tape recorded by an undercover employee of the animal-rights group, Mercy For Animals, not just the few minutes that group posted on YouTube, Phillips said.
On the tape, Conklin employee Billy Joe Gregg is seen viciously beating and abusing cows and calves at the Plain City farm. Gregg has since been fired. He has been charged with 12 misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and faces a felony weapons charge. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Also on the tape, Conklin is shown kicking a cow that is lying down.
Phillips said the portion of the tape shown publicly was spliced together and that Conklin’s behavior was taken out of context. The Union County sheriff’s office said it had four veterinarians with experience in large-animal care review the tape.
“In context, Mr. Conklin’s actions were entirely appropriate,” Phillips wrote in a news release this morning. “The veterinarians told law enforcement that cows who remain down are at risk of injury or death. A cow’s muscles may atrophy. Once that happens, the cow may never get up and may suffer or die.”
In an e-mailed statement, Gary Conklin called the announcement bittersweet.
“It is gratifying that the grand jury found no reason to bring any charges against our farm, family members or current employees,” he wrote. “However, we remain extraordinarily saddened by the willful abuse of animals on our farm by one of our former employees.”
He said this has been “a horrible time for the Conklin family” and that Gregg’s abuse did not reflect the farm’s commitment to animal care. He said he hopes to put the matter behind him, and continue to run the fourth-generation cattle-sales business along Rt. 42.
Jurors also reviewed the actions of another Conklin employee as well as the Mercy for Animals investigator, who admitted to poking animals with pitchforks to maintain his cover, and they found nothing that merited criminal charges, Phillips said.
The criminal investigation isn’t over, however. Phillips said threats of violence and murder made by animal-rights activists against the Conklins are still under review and information may be forwarded to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for possible charges under the federal Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act.
Daniel Hauff, director of investigations for Mercy For Animals, said he could not comment until he had seen the prosecutor’s office news release.
Our Compass 
It`s a shame to be human ! What do they do to gods creatures , our animals ????
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There is something very wrong about the backwoods thinking of “just because a cow is down and most likely to die” that it is morally OK to kick it or inflict pain in any manner!!! I am shocked that a jury and vets would allow this sorry excuse of a human to be in the right… as far as the death threats being a matter for the US Attorney’s Office I feel like that is total overkill on the part of the police and that Gary Conklin will never recover from this so called scandal because we animal people will talk about this for a very long time! Animal activists did not do anything in comparison to what was done to those innocent animals! He knew what was going on and to say that he didn’t is an out right lie!!! Karma has a way of getting those who are evil and deceitful….
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You have GOT to be kidding me!!
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WTF!!!!!??????
Shame on them!!!!!!
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How inhumane!!!! Pure and utter BULLSHIT!!!!!!
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AR videos we are discredited when Mercy for Animals should be applauded for the work they did. Don’t Vets in Ohio have ethical oaths???? Conklin should be in jail not free to abuse again and again! I am very concerned for the safety of all sentient beings at “conklins house of hell”
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This makes me want to puke. And, of course, let’s go after the AR people who have done NOTHING wrong at all. Notice, too, how that asshole Gregg is only being charged with misdemeanor charges and not felony animal cruelty. Figures.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act needs to be abolished!! Unbelievable that someone who is only trying to protect life can be charged with terrorism, but the abusive jerks who hurt innocent beings for fun are charged with squat. WTF?
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HONTE À VOUS…..GARY CONKLIN ET VOTRE FAMILLE DE MERDE!!!!
JE SUIS SI FÂCHÉE QU’UNE FAMILLE TELLE QUE LA VÔTRE PUISSENT VIVRE, C’EST INJUSTE!!!! VOUS MÉRITEZ TOUT CE QU’IL Y A DE PLUS MÉCHANT SUR TERRE….CREVEZ EN ENFER…BANDE DE LÂCHES…!!!!!!!
HONTE À VOUS……. JURY VENDU ET SANS COEUR!!!!
HONTE À VOUS…….VÉTÉRINAIRES INCOMPÉTENTS ET HYPOCRITES!!!!
HONTE À TOI….. GREGG DE MERDE!!! SALAUD!!! JE TE SOUHAITE DE SOUFFRIR PLUS QUE JAMAIS UN ANIMAL A SOUFFERT….GROS PLEIN DE MERDE!!! CRÈVES EN ENFER!!!!!
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I AN GODDAMN FURIOUS!!! WHAT A FUCKED UP WORLD!!!!!
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This is ridiculous!
Gary Conklin is a liar, but he’ll get his come-uppance……… and Phillips should watch his back too!
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This is a crime against a civilized society. To think abusing animals is excusable in any way is truly disheartening. These precious beings who can’t speak for themselves exploited and abused day in and day out until sent to slaughter is sanctioned by the courts. A travesty of justice and one more mark against our species. A tragic day for all animals.
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This is terrible is this what our country has become, place where you can abuse animals and say that there is nothing wrong with it, this is so shocking that these people are getting by with this cruel and heartless attack on these helpless animals, this is a sad day for justice that was not carried out. Shame on the courts for allowing this, It makes me sick to be part of the so called human race, we must find a way to make these people pay for abusing animals.
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Everything is so backwards!! How can someone be called terrorist for protecting animals?!! And the ones who do the torturing get away with it!!
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I will never step foot in ohio ever again. Thank God I am a vegan. I hope one day Conklin and his family enjoy hell because the corrupt human justice system has failed but they have a first class ticket to hell.
Poor animals what do they do to deserve this.
I am simply disgusted at most humans.
They simply care to feed there fat asses.
Take Care
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It’s inconceivable that Gary Conklin had no idea what Gregg was doing. Where would Gregg have learned that behavior from? Kicking a cow when it’s down to “relieve it’s suffering” or “save it’s life” begs the question how it fell down in the first place. The man is a terrible liar and horrific animal abuser, that he gets out of jail free for the things he permitted on his farm is truly disgusting. Boo.
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Here is the thing: The very first thing that is shown on the tape released o YouTube shows a calf being tossed (very hard) across the room where it lands with a hard thump the feet of Billy Joel Gregg. Gregg then commences to stop the poor thing near senseless. My question is, who was the bastard that so cruelty threw the calf so hard an so far and so brutally across the length of the barn? Someone knows, Billy Joel surley must know, and if not Mr Conklin himself, then it was somebody else working on the farm that day……the calf tosser should also be identified and arrested. Some investigation. Also, I have heard that the Conklin Dairy has a long well know history of animal abuses,…ask any neighbor….I am wondering if this place has any previous citations for it? The “so called” investigation leaves alot to be desired…..One more thing,…there will be NO more “animal enterprize” business’ for the Conklins, not in Ohio or anyother state. They had better find a new line of work,…..crop farming will do, something without animals…..something they cant hurt. The Gods of Retributative justice are coming round and its not too late to make it right. Conklins, turn over your livestock to a farm animal rescue and get planting your Monsanto seeds. Forget about the animals…. the Gods are angry and will put a hurtin on you if you dont. This IS NOT a threat but a fact of our religion.
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No one has said anything about the pile of dead cow carcasses that were found on that land in hell either! Was that jury on drugs or were they just brainless scumbags who can’t see criminally insane people when they are right in front of them with OVERWHELMING evidence. Looks like someone was paid off to me.
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AMERICA YOU ARE NO BETTER THE CHINA TO ALLOW THESE ATRCITY’S TO CONTINUE.
I THANK GOD EVEYDAY THAT I LIVE IN AUSTRALIA.
WE ARE NOT PERFECT. BUT WE DO ACT ON THIS HORRIFIC ABUSE.
THESE EVIL LOWLIFE SCUM WOULD BE IN JAIL NOW.NOT TO MENTION THE FINES PLUS THEY WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE NEAR A COW AGAIN IN THEIR LIFE TIME.
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING KARMA ARRIVE AT YOUR DOOR STEP.
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Australia perpetrates its own atrocities against marsupials dear. Kangaroos are murdered by the thousands in your country so don’t point fingers unless you know the facts.
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What a fucking joke. It’s ok to KICK a cow that’s down ? Is that how you get the cow to get up ? REALLY ?? That judge is an ignorant, fucking MORON.
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Something is seriously wrong with these morons. It’s times like this that I grow weary of defending my species.
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Folks please take the time to sign this petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/500-pigs-starved-to-death–those-involved-need-to-be-prosecuted
over 500 Pigs were starved to death and we need to make sure these people are prosecuted.
Thanks in advance
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The farm needs to be boycott and close for good,the cows given to good loveing homes not left with someone that dont care nor see tham as a life,i lived on a farm as a kid and non of the animal had to go throu this,cows,sheep and others.no hurt came to tham.You dont run a farm like that.That is very sad to see that the animals have no rights to thear life and being safe.
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WTF is right???
The Grand Jury is just another part of the problem…..BACKWARDS and INCORRECT thinking of our companion animals (and farm animals are NO DIFFERENT)….they deserve love, respect and decency .
I,too, am embarrassed to be associated with the human race…..bunch of F’ing morons.
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