CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (AP) - A former southeast Missouri deputy has been found not guilty of animal abuse for shooting a small dog last year.
A Cape Girardeau County jury took only 15 minutes Friday night to render its decision in favor of Kelley Barks, a former Bollinger County sheriff's deputy.
The Southeast Missourian (http://bit.ly/NVKzQb) reports the 36-year-old Marble Hill resident shot the dog during a domestic call in February 2011. She left the sheriff's office soon afterward.
Barks claimed she killed the dog after it attacked her because the Bollinger County veterinarian told her to do so. She is suing the county alleging discrimination, retaliation and Sunshine Law violations.
She was charged in February with animal abuse just before the one-year statute of limitations expired.