Despite seeing photos of emaciated and diseased horses, a Superior Court judge has decided spare an East Haven woman prison time for cruelty to animals.
According to the New Haven Register, Judge Roland Fasano listened to an impassioned request from the prosecutor for prison time, accounts by two veterinarians about the horrific state of the animals found on Gina Rapuano’s farm and a tearful apology from the defendant.
What seemed to seal Fasano’s decision was his conclusion that the 47-year-old didn’t deliberately harm the animals.
The judge cited her long history of substance abuse in his sentencing. In addition, Rapuano's defense attorney said his client was physically and sexually abused 2 relatives as a child, the paper reported.
Prosecutors said those factors did not excuse “a long and winding road” of animals being mistreated for 2 decades at the Rambling River Ranch in North Haven.
“The lack of humanity is unspeakable,” said Assistant State's Attorney Mary Elizabeth Baran. "This is one of the most serious cases of animal abuse to have occurred in the state of Connecticut.”
13 months ago, investigators seized 16 horses, three mules, a goat and many other animals, such as rabbits, ferrets, birds and dogs.
The judge imposed a one-year prison term on each of the 18 animal cruelty counts, but suspended Rapuano's sentence. She will have to pay restitution to cover the cost to Connecticut taxpayers for working on the case and rehabilitating the animals: $80,360.
