Trial for Thomas Staggs on animal cruelty charges was supposed to take place next week in Lyon County District Court. That has now been delayed.
Defense attorney Rick Meier withdrew as part of what was supposed to be a final pretrial hearing Wednesday. Staggs now has to file a financial affidavit and may qualify for a court-appointed attorney, depending on those results. A hearing at 4 pm Oct. 13 — the day after trial was supposed to begin — will now determine the way forward on Staggs’ defense team. At least for now, this puts an indefinite hold on the upcoming trial.
Both Staggs and his wife, Rhonda, face 17 counts of misdemeanor animal cruelty after Lyon County law enforcement and the private group Guardians of the Wolves went to 303 East Grand in Hartford in late May. Seventeen dogs were taken to undisclosed locations after the alleged rescue.
Rhonda Staggs is set for a plea hearing Oct. 13.
