November trial is set in dog-fighting case

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Aug 7, 2005

A man accused of multiple counts of animal cruelty is scheduled for trial in November.

John Clinton Smith is charged with six counts of third-degree felony dog fighting and six counts of cruelty to animals, a class B misdemeanor. The trial is set for Nov. 1-2 in 3rd District Court.

The charges stem from an Oct. 21, 2003, encounter when animal control officers took six pit bulls and investigators seized "fighting equipment" from Smith's house, including treadmills police believe were used to train the dogs. In addition, journals, videotapes and dogfighting magazines were taken.

In 2000, Smith was charged with 20 counts of various animal neglect charges, and eventually pleaded guilty to two counts of animal cruelty and to one other misdemeanor, according to court records. His 180-day jail sentence suspended.

A cruelty to animals charge was dismissed in 1997. He also was charged with nine counts of cruelty to animals in 1996, all of which were eventually dismissed. Smith was charged in 1995 with 31 counts of having too many dogs and failing to license those dogs. In 1988, a jury found Smith guilty of training dogs for fighting, a third- degree felony. Several thousand dollars in fines were suspended, and Smith was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service.