PRESTONBURG, Ky. — Members of an animal-rights group are trying to prevent an Ohio harness racing trainer charged with cruelty to animals from regaining his training license.

        Jason Brewer, 23, of Morrow pleaded guilty last week in Floyd District Court and received a suspended four-month sentence. He also donated $500 to the Floyd County Animal Shelter in lieu of a fine, said Greg Stumbo of Prestonsburg, the state representative who is Mr. Brewer's attorney.

        The plea agreement was intended to end the case so that Mr. Brewer could regain his trainer's license, Mr. Stumbo said.

        But members of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have asked the Kentucky Racing Commission to not renew Mr. Brewer's training license and bar him from state harness tracks.

        “He drove an animal to death and should have served jail time for that,” said Amy Rhodes, a PETA caseworker. “Brewer needs to be made an example to show everyone involved in the industry they can and will be held accountable for their actions.”

        A commission panel suspended Mr. Brewer's training license for a year on July 27, 2000, six days after Dark Skies, a 6-year-old bay gelding, died frothing at the mouth in his stall at ThunderRidge Raceway near Prestonsburg.

        A racing commission official said witnesses testified Mr. Brewer had put the horse through three training sessions, causing the animal to overheat, and lashed the horse, leaving welts on its rear and sides.

        A three-person panel at ThunderRidge charged Mr. Brewer with “misconduct ... injurious to the turf.” A report said he had trained the horse in an unconventional manner with disregard to its health and used the whip “in an excessive and brutal manner.”

        Stacy Marshall, an assistant county attorney, said he was content with Mr. Brewer's guilty plea because of problems with proof — no autopsy was performed — and because the horse's owner planned to defend Mr. Brewer if the case went to court.

        The plea deal prevents Mr. Brewer from entering ThunderRidge until he regains his license.

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PETA wants to keep Morrow trainer from regaining license