09/23/2025
On September 15, Allison and Joseph appeared at General Sessions Court for arraignment. They requested court ordered representation, so the court worked to assign them separate attorneys. By the end of the day, they were both assigned legal counsel and the initial hearing was set for November 17th at 1:30pm.
Those directly involved in the case should be watching for communication from the DA's office to be deposed.
Once again, we want to thank the Cocke County Sheriff's Office and District Attorney's Office for their commitment to this case, and upholding their stated 2024 objective of holding those who would neglect or abuse animals accountable. Currently, they are both facing 3 counts of Aggravated Cruelty each.
Aggravated Cruelty is a felony offense, and would make them eligible for placement on the TN Animal Abuser Registry.
From Google:
"To be placed on the Tennessee Animal Abuser Registry, a person must be convicted of aggravated cruelty to animals, felony animal fighting (like dogfighting or cockfighting), or sexual acts with animals in a Tennessee court. The registry is maintained by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) and is available to the public."
We appreciate shares and comments of support. We REALLY want the Sherriff's Department and DA's Office to see our appreciation, and to know that the community supports holding abusers accountable to the maximum extent possible.