Source: By Jan Falstad of the Billings Gazette
““Leachman cannot now change his position on appeal and argue that the state produced insufficient evidence…”
Horse Breeder gone bad, James Leachman doesn’t think dying horses are a big deal ~ photo by Bob Zellar
Yellowstone County District Judge Susan Watters has upheld James Leachman’s jury conviction on five counts of abusing his horses.
Leachman, a longtime Billings horse and cattle breeder, didn’t deny owning the horses he was convicted of abusing during his December trial, so he can’t raise that issue on appeal, the judge ruled.
Leachman, acting as his own attorney, appealed his Justice Court conviction to District Court by arguing that prosecutors never proved he owned the horses.
But in her Aug. 12 ruling, Judge Watters said Leachman had argued in a court motion that the evidence showed he was in the pastures caring for his horses.
“Leachman cannot now change his position on appeal and argue that the state produced insufficient evidence as to the custody of the horses,” she wrote.
In December, Justice of the Peace Larry Herman sentenced Leachman to serve five years in the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, with all but 120 days suspended, and a $5,000 fine. The judge also prohibited him from owning cattle or horses for the duration of the sentence.
After sentencing, the former rancher was briefly arrested, but was released on bond.
“We are obviously pleased with Judge Watters’ decision,” said Yellowstone Deputy County Attorney Ingrid Rosenquist. “Going forward, we will seek imposition of his sentence; however that could be delayed should Mr. Leachman appeal to the Montana Supreme Court.”
Leachman declined to comment on the ruling.
The County Attorney’s Office successfully argued that he abused at least five of his horses by placing plastic identification bands on their front legs and not adjusting or removing them as they grew. At least five horses either died of their injuries or were so crippled they had to be euthanized, prosecutors argued.
The Leachman Cattle Co. used to own the Home Place Ranch, on the Crow reservation about 16 miles east of Billings, where Leachman kept his horses.
Two years ago, more than 800 Leachman horses at the ranch were seized and sold by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs for trespassing on tribal lands.
Click (HERE) to comment directly at the Billings Gazette
Categories: Equine Rescue, Horse News, Horse Slaughter
Straight from the Horse's Heart 
Wasn’t this also the roundup by horseback by the Indians? 800 horses. I’ve heard all kinds of excuses on why BLM can’t do it such as wranglers might get hurt, horses might get too pooped to pop, wild horses might hide. I still think the roundup by horseback was very cool and showed “some” people that where there is a will, there is a way.
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Shared.
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Ankle bracelets? Where do these monkeys come from? And 800 horses, this alone is animal abuse for a private person to do. Are we sure hes not a planned killer buyer raising his own kill herd? Highly suspect. Plus he should have to clean animal manure during his 120 days. Besides i now recognize why people are wanting to kill the horses. Its people who shirk all connections, responsibility and dont have any particular attachment to horses. They then dont understand why horses are untrainable….this complete disconnect facilitates a desire to fight the horses because they feel the horses are dangerous or stupid, when really its no handling, proper training, proper boundries and mutual respect. These horses were abused just by simply NOT caring for them. Im sorry the excuse their livestock is actually incorrect, horses Require care and handling cattle do not. Cattle are completely different from horses in this respect.
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… and there are MANY other people with the same attitude toward horses and burros and all animals.
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This is the product of slaughter, the malaize attitude, the unconcerned rudeness. This guy just wants to.validate his disconnect. So many kill buyers in our area deliberately starved horses in illinois then cried foul, blamedthe horses, people, and illness but not once ever themselves. If you dont feed your at.fault, if you dont vet your at fault, if you dont provide shelter your at fault, if you dont routinelydewormer even and especdedally large herds your at ault. So where do they believe its not their fault? A kill buyer flipped a horse over at a kill auction a year ago, when it broke its back and laid flopping, he defene
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Sorry he defended his actions, he said he had to prod the terrified animal with a.cattle prod. We found out that the.vet who arrived to.put it down said it was his neighbors gentle lesson horse, never had any problems, the guy passed and his shady kids sold bim at auction. The vet said he was the best horse. So when does it become their fault? Rhetorical question. We all know, its rarely prosecuted, rarely legally retributed. What did the kb say to the cops? Of course the vet and the witnesses lied. Of course.
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Another FAT HUMAN, starving animals, in court, saying NOT IMPORTANT…..by a fat human that doesn’t appear to miss gettin’ their groceries.
Really?!? Doesn’t this get old?
Just creepy!
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This maggot is only one of many who starve their animals be it a horse or a dog. They think nothing of setting down to a large meal and gobbling it down while their animals stand in a wet cold stall or field starving to death by the hour. If its a dog its tied up out side in the cold to die a painful death. I have read to many articles about creatures like this man. That judge in my opinion should have sentenced him to the max penalty and forced him to stay in jail the full time.
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