GRAND ISLAND: Sparks judgment by year’s end

Grand Island

December 10, 2008

Staff Reports The Niagara Gazette Wed Dec 10, 2008, 10:50 PM EST

Was the search warrant good?

That’s the question Grand Island Town Justice Mark Frentzel will answer before the end of the year regarding the Peter Sparks animal cruelty case on Grand Island.

All parties were all in court Wednesday night — along with about 20 Sparks supporters — but no arguments were heard.

Sparks has been charged with animal cruelty by the Erie County SPCA for the “emaciated” condition of 12 horses and five sheep after raiding his ranch Aug. 12.

However, Frentzel’s end-of-the-year ruling will focus on the search warrant.

“Was it properly executed and were the constitutional protections in place?” asked defense attorney Patrick Wesp.

Previously, Frentzel ruled Sparks should get his animals back and wouldn’t have to pay the $10,000 in boarding charges racked up by the SPCA.

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