Former Animal Shelter Director Pleads Not Guilty In Animal Cruelty Case

Edmonson Voice Staff Report
Only one name was released on the Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Edmonson District Court docket, which was former Edmonson County Animal Shelter Director Kimberly Carroll.

She pleaded not guilty to "cruelty to animals, second degree." A pre-trial conference has been scheduled for July 19, 2016 at 9am. 

Carroll was cited with the animal cruelty charge on June 3, 2016 when the Kentucky State Police shut down the facility that served four counties. All animals on the property were relocated to other area shelters with the exception of a select few, that according to reports were euthanized. Her husband, Greg was not charged in the incident.

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​The Edmonson County Fiscal Court had contracted animal control and shelter services with Carroll and her husband, Greg until Monday, June 13, when the fiscal court voted to dissolve the contract on grounds that the Carroll's and their facility failed to fulfill the requirements of the contract. 

Judge Executive Wil Cannon has stated more than once that the Carroll's were the only facility to bid on the state mandated service. Cannon has also stated that since the county contracted the service to an outside private organization, the county had no authority or enforcement as to how the facility was run. 

He did, however, admit that more periodic checks should have been conducted by the fiscal court in order to see that all the contract requirements were being properly met.

So far, Mrs. Carroll and her attorney have yet to comment, but have agreed to give a statement to the Edmonson Voice at a later date.

The Edmonson County Sheriff's Office was first to respond to the June 3rd complaint, but immediately turned the case over to KSP due to a county office/contract conflict of interest. A special prosecutor has been appointed to handle the case from this point forward in order to eliminate another conflict of interest with the Carroll's and the Edmonson County Attorney.