Bardstown man charged in animal cruelty case shows up at anti-cruelty rally

STAFF REPORT

JOHN C. LEWIS

Friday, April 5, 2013 — A rally and candlelight vigil against animal cruelty Thursday at the Old Courthourse in downtown Bardstown featured an unexpected observer — the man who was charged earlier this week with animal cruelty.

John C. Lewis, 25, was charged and arrested Monday with 10 counts of animal cruelty. According to a report on WLEX TV 18 in Lexington, Lewis decided to observe the rally after reading online comments that he should be hanged or killed. Lewis told the TV station he was an animal lover like the others who attended the rally. Lewis and some companions can be observed watching the rally from across the street standing at the south side of the Hurst Drugs building.

Lewis told WLEX he was away from his home celebrating Easter with his children at the time police were called to his home on Hagan Drive. Lewis told the TV station that a police officer lived near his home. “If all this nonsense was going on, surely they would have been out here a lot sooner,” he told the station.

The Court Square event was sponsored by Barktown Rescue, a local animal rescue and adoption group.

Lewis is due in court next week to answer to the charges.

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