Clearlake man enters not guilty plea in animal cruelty case
- Elizabeth Larson
- Posted On
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Clearlake man arrested last week for animal cruelty after police said he left his dog to die along Highway 53 has entered a plea in the case and is set for preliminary hearing.
On Tuesday, James Harley Miranda, 40, pleaded not guilty to felony animal cruelty and a misdemeanor charge of being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson.
Miranda was arrested early on the morning of Sept. 12, about 18 hours after his dog “Cocoa” was found dead by a passerby on the side of Highway 53 in Clearlake, as Lake County News has reported.
The Clearlake Police Department said the dog was tied by a homemade leash to a hand cart and had an elastic band wrapped around its jaw.
When police later found Miranda, he said Cocoa had been hit by a vehicle while off leash and that he muzzled the dog after it attempted to bite him.
He also admitted to police that he left Cocoa on the roadway and went to a friend's residence to use methamphetamine, according to the initial police report.
Miranda “denies any allegations that he in any way physically abused his dog, Cocoa,” Andrea Sullivan, Miranda’s attorney, told Lake County News.
“Evidence in this case is still being collected and the cause of death of the animal is as of yet undetermined,” said Sullivan, who added that she was not sure if further examination of Cocoa’s body is planned by investigators.
Miranda, who has remained in jail since his arrest, also had his bail reduced on Tuesday, Sullivan said.
Sullivan said that Miranda's bail was lowered to $15,000 from $25,000, with $15,000 being the standard bail for the animal cruelty charge.
“Several members of the audience made audible sounds disapproving of the reduced bail amount and were admonished by the Judge Hedstrom for disrupting the proceedings,” she said.
Sullivan said Miranda has a misdemeanor criminal history with no violence and no similar cases to the one involving Cocoa.
Abelson said Miranda waived his right to have a preliminary hearing within 10 days, so his preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 16.
If convicted, Miranda faces three years in the county jail, Sullivan said.
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