Ream withdraws plea, opts for trial
By Kat Russell, Reporter
The Paducah Sun
January 16, 2016
http://www.paducahsun.com/news/local/011616_PS_Ream_Sentencing
Barlow resident Edward Ream, who is accused of torturing his neighbors' dogs, will have his day in court after he opted Friday to withdraw his guilty plea and take his case to trial.
As part of a plea agreement made in December, Ream, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of animal torture and one count of criminal mischief, admitting in court that he had poisoned neighborhood dogs using antifreeze. Commonwealth Attorney Mike Stacy recommended a sentence of five years in prison for each charge, to run consecutively for a total of 10 years.
However, Ream's case could have been eligible for diversion, meaning his sentence would have been diverted for five years, during which he'd have had to show he could adhere to certain terms. At the end of that five-year period, had Ream done what he was supposed to do, Stacy said, those charges would have been dismissed.
Friday — at what was supposed to be Ream's sentencing — Ballard Circuit Judge Tim Langford was going to decide whether or not to allow diversion.
Ream, however, decided to withdraw his plea and reject the plea agreement, saying he disagreed with the amount of restitution the deal required him to pay.
Ream's defense attorney, Jeremy Ian Smith, said the agreement required his client pay more than $2,000 in restitution, an amount that covered the medical bills of four dogs owned by two of Ream's neighbors.
However, having only plead guilty to two charges, Smith said Ream felt he should only have to pay for the dogs related to those offenses.
Although he allowed the withdrawal, Langford encouraged Ream to stick to the deal, telling him it was a good agreement and he should take it. Ream's refusal means he will not only face the two charges he had pleaded to, but puts the nine other charges that were dismissed as part of the deal back on the table.
Now, if convicted, Ream could face up to 20 years in prison, and Stacy said he will not be offering another deal.
After court, Smith said he and his client are right back where they started.
"It was Mr. Ream's decision to not enter into the diversion, which is his right," Smith said. "He has a right to a jury trial and he has chosen to exercise that right."
But that trial could prove to be an uphill battle as Langford said in court that he would allow the commonwealth to present Ream's guilty plea as evidence.
A two-day trial has been scheduled for mid-May.
Stacy said the trial will be difficult for the dog owners, who thought the case was finally over.
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
As part of a plea agreement made in December, Ream, 64, pleaded guilty to one count of animal torture and one count of criminal mischief, admitting in court that he had poisoned neighborhood dogs using antifreeze. Commonwealth Attorney Mike Stacy recommended a sentence of five years in prison for each charge, to run consecutively for a total of 10 years.
However, Ream's case could have been eligible for diversion, meaning his sentence would have been diverted for five years, during which he'd have had to show he could adhere to certain terms. At the end of that five-year period, had Ream done what he was supposed to do, Stacy said, those charges would have been dismissed.
Friday — at what was supposed to be Ream's sentencing — Ballard Circuit Judge Tim Langford was going to decide whether or not to allow diversion.
Ream, however, decided to withdraw his plea and reject the plea agreement, saying he disagreed with the amount of restitution the deal required him to pay.
Ream's defense attorney, Jeremy Ian Smith, said the agreement required his client pay more than $2,000 in restitution, an amount that covered the medical bills of four dogs owned by two of Ream's neighbors.
However, having only plead guilty to two charges, Smith said Ream felt he should only have to pay for the dogs related to those offenses.
Although he allowed the withdrawal, Langford encouraged Ream to stick to the deal, telling him it was a good agreement and he should take it. Ream's refusal means he will not only face the two charges he had pleaded to, but puts the nine other charges that were dismissed as part of the deal back on the table.
Now, if convicted, Ream could face up to 20 years in prison, and Stacy said he will not be offering another deal.
After court, Smith said he and his client are right back where they started.
"It was Mr. Ream's decision to not enter into the diversion, which is his right," Smith said. "He has a right to a jury trial and he has chosen to exercise that right."
But that trial could prove to be an uphill battle as Langford said in court that he would allow the commonwealth to present Ream's guilty plea as evidence.
A two-day trial has been scheduled for mid-May.
Stacy said the trial will be difficult for the dog owners, who thought the case was finally over.
Contact Kat Russell, a Paducah Sun staff writer, at 270-575-8653.
