05/17/2008

Associated Press

The lawyer for a Leavenworth woman convicted of animal cruelty wants a new trial for her client, because she claims one of the jurors was biased.

A jury last week convicted 40-year-old Patricia Schrumpf on six counts of second-degree animal cruelty for mistreatment of 11 Siberian husky puppies last September.

The jury found Schrumpf did not provide adequate food and other provisions for the dogs.

Schrumpf's attorney, Julie Anderson, filed a motion for a new trial with Chelan County District Court on Thursday, when Schrumpf was supposed to be sentenced.

Anderson told Judge Alicia Nakata that a juror contacted Schrumpf after the trial and told her that a fellow juror realized part-way through the trial that she had read media reports about the case.

Nakata delayed sentencing for Schrumpf and scheduled a May 29 hearing on the motion for a new trial.

If the convictions stand, Schrumpf faces up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine on each count.

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Information from: The Wenatchee World, http://www.wenworld.com