Thursday, March 25, 1999
Officer convicted of animal cruelty
BY ANNA GUIDO
Enquirer Contributor
HAMILTON — A part-time Monroe police officer was convicted Wednesday of animal cruelty after his dog was found to be malnourished and nearly dead.
Robert Eastham of Fairfield Township was fined $250 plus court costs and sentenced to 30 days in jail after pleading no contest to the misdemeanor charge in Butler County Area II Court.
Judge John Connaughton suspended the jail sentence on the condition that Mr. Eastham give up the dog, pay $860 in veterinarian bills and perform three days of community service at the animal shelter in St. Clair Township.
Butler County chief dog warden Marie Marksbury said she received a tip Feb. 16 that something was wrong with Mr. Eastham's 41/2-year-old male black Labrador retriever.
“When we found it, it was in very poor condition and probably wouldn't have have made it through the night,” Ms. Marksbury said.
The dog was treated at Brookside Animal Hospital in Hamilton and is in the custody of the Humane Association of Butler County, where it is up for adoption. Ms. Marksbury said the dog weighed 23 pounds when it was found. A dog its size should weigh about 50 pounds, she said.
Neither Mr. Eastham nor his attorney, Richard Koehler, could be reached for comment Wednesday.
Assistant prosecuting attorney Dennis Adams declined to comment.
Monroe Police Chief Ernest Howard said the police department does not anticipate taking any action against him.
“I know he's got horses and there's never been anything wrong with them,” Chief Howard said.
Mr. Eastham has worked for the department about two years and averages two to three shifts a week. He works full time as a machinist, Chief Howard said.
Feds flunk light-rail plan
Clinton cancels Cincinnati visit
Clinton's address on airstrikes
Former residents react to bombing
House vote lends moral support
Farmer Gore's adventures in the heartland
Police: Car dragged officer before shooting
I-71 in Warren will be bottleneck
Wide-vehicle drivers face mandatory court appearance
School defended for suspending 6th grade in pot case
On the prom dress prowl
Tips for picking out prom dresses
Tristate's political parochialism stifles progress, planner says
UC cancer center's new chief thinks big
Carlisle's top cop charged with DUI
Fire kills Clermont Co. leader
First trip to state makes Madeira 'a little crazy'
Nurses group says hospital refused ideas of task force
Officer convicted of animal cruelty
Pops' swing sizzles in Ellington tribute
Premieres big in Ensemble's plans
Union leaders like Taft's remarks on law, labor role
Draud hits, gets hit like a candidate
Thrill writer scares himself
Why drag out adoption fight sure to be lost?
Birds clutter skies
Cold Spring chief fired 2nd time
Former reporters summoned to court
Franklin pursues vets' home
Grants to help kids read
Lakota has 2 redistricting meetings
Mason needs ideas on schools
More at-risk kids stay at home
Morrow man escapes from rehab center
Ohio lawmakers look at pay raise
Old Ky. home makes its mark
Party endorses Butler Co. judge
TRISTATE DIGEST
