PORT TOWNSEND — Several hours of deliberation Wednesday resulted in a hung jury in the case of a Port Hadlock man accused of killing his dog with a golf club.
After a three-day trial in Jefferson County Superior Court, the jury was hung 11-1, with the majority leaning toward acquitting William Michael “Mike” Kelly, 53, of animal cruelty charges.
A new pretrial is scheduled Dec. 30 and a retrial date is set for Jan. 10, court records show.
Earlier, Kelly admitted to beating his dog to death, but denied guilt in his April 19 arraignment.
Kelly said he intended to take the 10-year-old animal out of its misery. The dog was suffering from a severe chronic ear infection, court records show.
“We are disappointed that we did not get a unanimous verdict acquitting my client of the charges,” Richard Davies, Kelly’s attorney, said Wednesday.
“But with 11 members of the jury voting to acquit, we hope that the prosecutor would not refile the case.”
Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Juelie Dalzell declined to comment on the case, citing state requirements.