Elkhart County Prosecutor Vicki Becker Wednesday announced she won’t refile animal cruelty charges against three Jayco RV workers for killing two cats in a trash compactor.
Becker’s announcement came moments after at least 50 people protested outside her downtown offices. They held signs and chanted, urging her to refile charges against 44-year-old John Lipscomb, 29-year-old Travis McKay and 31-year-old Arlin Hochstetler.
Becker declined WVPE’s interview request but in a statement she said Indiana law allows the killing of wild animals that damage property. She said these feral cats damaged a ceiling structure and an item with established and documented value. She said the workers tried to rehome the cats but one of them returned to the plant from 10 miles away.
Becker said the animals weren’t tortured because they would have died so quickly in the compactor.
Earlier this month Becker charged the three workers with felony animal cruelty but quickly dropped the charges after news coverage of the filing. The dismissal outraged nonprofit cat welfare group Meow Mission, which organized the protest.
Tina Caparell lead chants with a bullhorn.
“The worst kind of human being injures animals," Caparell said, "and that Jayco did not care until it was made public.”
Jayco officials did not reply to WVPE’s interview request.
