PLAIN CITY, Ohio — Officials with the Marysville Municipal Court in Ohio’s Union County have confirmed a continuance in the trial of Billy Joe Gregg Jr., the Delaware, Ohio man charged with 12 counts of cruelty to animals.
Gregg was arraigned on the charges in June, stemming from an undercover video that showed apparent abuse to dairy cows and calves at Conklin Dairy Farms near Plain City.
His pre-trial has been rescheduled for Sept. 8, and a jury trial has been rescheduled for Oct. 1. A grand jury cleared the farm’s owner, Gary Conklin, of any charges because it could not find probable cause.
Union County Prosecutor David Phillips scrutinized the film’s makers, the pro-vegan animal rights organization Mercy For Animals, for allowing the abuse to continue, and for editing the video to show a misleading message.
Thank you David Phillips for trying to scapegoat Mercy for Animals for these crimes. Let’s not blame David Conklin for beating a sick and dying cow–no, let’s blame a group who spends all their time fighting and speaking up for defenselss animals–that’s brilliant! I’m actually surprised that you didn’t look for a way to blame the cows themselves–I take that back–I bet you did examine some scenarios to try and blame them. I guess catching people on videos isn’t the final word–people will try anything to weasel their way out of the truth! You people are really unbelievable! If, someday we could find a way to replace you scoundrels with ethical, honorable people, we really could change the world.
So sad.
APPARENT abuse? Really? This author needs to get their head out of the toilet or wherever he put it and look at the videos.
IT WAS ANIMAL ABUSE OF THE MOST DISGUSTING KIND.
It made me ashamed to be a human being.
And as for David Phillips – he needs to focus on the issue and the crime committed instead of throwing stones at the group that discovered the abuse. If I happen to videotape a teenager beating a dog to death and turn it into the police does that mean I should be investigated and the evidence should be thrown out? Phillips is treading on dangerous ground – a crime was committed, stop posturing for your fat cat contributors and do what you were elected to do. Follow the law. A crime was committed. Regardless of what happens, I’m proud to say these farms no longer receive any income from my family, as we now refuse to purchase any products unless they are certified humane.
I’m wondering what is going to happen during the next election? What are your thoughts Mr. Phillips?
A ‘misleading message’?? PLEASE!! There was nothing misleading in any of the video. It’s as obvious as the nose on your face!
And keep in mind that Billy Joe Gregg has plans to become a police officer. He can upgrade from beating calves to beating human beings.
Clara B. here-here!! Well said!
The people who commented are confused. First, Billy Joe Gregg is being prosecuted. A grand jury heard and viewed all of the evidence, not just the highly edited YouTube video, and determined there was not probable cause to believe that the farm owner was guilty of a criminal offense.
Let me say this clearly – the MFA investigator told law enforcement that the farm owner did not participate in the abuse. Secondly, he told law enforcement that the farm owner did not know of the abuse by Gregg.
There were people who knew about the abuse and failed to stop it. Those persons allowed it to coninue, after being told about it every day in detail. Who? MFA officials, who allowed Gregg to do what was depicted on that video for weeks so they could have it filmed.
So, if MFA was “speaking up”, why the silence for almost a month? If a child was being beaten, you wouldn’t say “I let the abuse continue so I could film it and put it on YouTube”, would you? If MFA would have reported the abuse, Gregg would have been arrested immediately, and the abuse would have stopped. But, they made a conscious choice to allow it to continue. That is why I was critical of MFA, they allowed the abuse to continue for their own purposes – raising money and publicity. They got both, but at what cost to the animals who continued to suffer while the cameras ran? Is animal abuse “okay” if you want to raise money for your organization. I, for one, don’t think so.
Despite your assertions to the contrary, the investigation (conducted with the local humane society investigators) was
complete, almost 700 pages of documents. The law was followed, whether you like the result or not.
Now, I will repeat myself for clarity, the MFA investigator said the farm owner had NO knowledge about this abuse.
MFA did record an extensive amount of abuse. If it were as easy as Mr. Phillips states….that if a cow was being abused…then someone would come out an arrest them, that would be great, however this is not true. This abuse happens everyday and everyday people, like Billy, get away with it. I love how Mr. Phillips compares this to child abuse….what a joke. There are laws against abusing children, however there are no laws preventing abuse to farm animals. No matter how you “cut” it…..the video doesn’t lie. He hit a BABY calf, he beat a defenseless cow in the head, he stabbed cows with pitchforks and I could go on…..but what it comes down to is that every single being on this earth has one life, granted by their maker….GOD. Isn’t it enough that these poor cows have to stand, day after day, on cement floors, have their babies taken away from them (so we can have their milk), have their sore udders hooked up day after day to milking machines and when they get sick they get to go to slaughter and never get a chance to have the “life” they choose. They have feelings, they suffer, they cry (just listen to the cow when she gets hit in the head with the metal rod) and they love their babies just like we do. How would you like you baby ripped away from you, right after it was born and then have someone beat it in front of you!! Where was the “child protection services” then??!! There are people out their that LOVE animals and will be their voice and their protector, no matter the cost. You may take this lightly because it is a “farm animal”….don’t let that be the mistake you make, especially when you have loved ones that you care about!! Treat this with the respect the cows deserve….and thank GOD there are people out there like MFA who know that this abuse needs to be seen and documented. It’s about time that people see where their food is coming from….and what sacrafices were made by gentle animals so you can have your milk….by the way….soy milk is just as good on your cereal as real milk….besides, who wants to support an industry that’s so cruel!!
Dear Karmen
You just have brought tears in my eyes I am already a vegetarian and I am gonna stop buying cow milk from now on as i don”t wanna support this cruel industry any more.You seems like a very compassionate human being GOD bless you. I love animals and always will specially the cows they are so gentle and loving.I don”t know why so many people are so cruel to animals who they can”t defend themselves and there is no point killing animals for food when u have so many other choices.
indest Regards
Jag
Ann, in this country people are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Until the verdict comes back as guilty, it is alleged abuse, regardless of video/first hand experience.
I do not condone abuse; I think they should punish this guy to the fullest extent possible.
Karmen, people do have their children ripped from their arms in the real world. When a child is born sick or has complications, it is removed from parents and isolated, stuck with needles, probed, prodded, all in the effort to save it’s life. As I have stated before, I do not condone abuse of animals but there are certain situations that call for drastic measures when your animal owner. Sometimes you have to remove the new born in order to save its life.
Dairy cows produce milk even when they don’t have a calf. Farmers don’t breed cows just to get the milk. Chickens lay eggs year round, not just when they are with a rooster.
AR’s are quick to change the information to side in their favor and yes, farmers are going to stand beside each other but I can say most farmers do not condone abuse and will not protect someone that does. However, it is a proven fact that PETA and HSUS do condone animal abuse provided it is in the name of Humane Treatment. Why else would they fund lawyers for eco-terrorist groups such as ALF and the San Diego Bomber? They even ask that man to become a top man in the organization for killing people and animals. So tell me, where do you stand again? You stand for HSUS/PETA who support eco-terrorists and blatant animal abuse or for the farmer that made a mistake when he hired 1 employee that is not kind to animals.
I stand on Mr. Conklin’s side, sure wouldn’t want my name attached to a group that kills 2300+ dogs every year, employee’s people the bomb buildings with people/animals inside or has a CEO that wants to be turned into a hand bag and boots. That’s just crazy.
I’m Korean. I just found this cruelty crime searching internet. It passed over a week but that horroble video still remind me.
USA, please give them as right purnishment.
Hi Jeon,Thank you for your courage, To stand up against cowardly animal abuse..!! You are a man and I respect you.!! And all those who abuse animals are not real men. They are all midgets that I have no respect for and they will live their lives in a dirty world along with those who protect them. I don’t eat meat, and I avoid eggs, and milk, and I am looking at soy milk forward.Also I try to consider HUMANE FOOD….No ice cream because it is made from milk and I buy sherbert ice cream.Before I close,let me THANK YOU again for a courageous stand against evil.!!!
I like how this case is being swept under the rug so that when it finally does go to jury this guy gets a slap on the wrist. It’s sad outrage only lasts for a couple of weeks while this abuse is the norm all over the United States.
I live in NZ and we are trying to get better conditions for our animals… some farmers are awesome, some not so much, but in the end all the product gets mixed up and you don’t know what you’re getting. i was horribly disgusted at this footage, and yes its edited but that doesn’t change what was captured. I don’t support PETA because even though they do some good things they do some really biazzare things as well, like killing dogs that could be rehomed. i never support causes with money, i do it through my voice, the way i shop and my vote for government, so its not all about the money for organisations. i just think that its time to respect the animals that mean you have a better life, if you make a living from them. i would really love to be able to visit my dairy cow or my beef on the farm before i consumed it, then i might feel okay if it was killed quickly, but that isn’t practical so i am vegetarian, after this i think i’m going to go vegan. If you can’t trust people to be kind to the animals they make profit off, then they are going to make no profit from me.