We received the following email this afternoon:
Good afternoon,
We launched a criminal investigation as soon as our office became aware of the Dale Hiteman incident at Hoosier Park on 6-1-23. We filed criminal charges against Mr. Hiteman today for Cruelty to an Animal, a Class A misdemeanor. Please see attached press release.
All the best,
And here is Deputy Prosecutor Hanna’s press release:
This, folks, is truly historic. Heretofore, it has been practically impossible to bring charges against anyone working in an animal-use industry. To Prosecutor Cummings, Deputy Prosecutor Hanna, and their entire staff, a thousand thank-yous. Today, you struck a mighty blow for abused animals everywhere.
Because YouTube won’t allow me to link it directly, here is our channel, with the closer version of Hiteman’s crime against Princess the first one you see. And my original post.
This is a fabulous development! We hope that this leads to more prosecutions.
The beating that Dale Hiteman inflicted on the TWO-YEAR-OLD Standardbred FILLY named PRINCESS LAA on June 1, 2023 was definitely not what we normally see as “common industry practice” therefore I sincerely hope that everyone in the judicial process regarding this case can prove that Dale Hiteman is “guilty as charged” and that they don’t let him off on a technicality or a typographical error.
It is definitely ironic that horses are injured, some fatally injured and killed/euthanized on a daily basis around the world and especially in the United States of America and that this cruelty to horses is considered “common industry practice” in the horse racing industry.
Hopefully, the court will see fit to seize all horses from the possession of Dale Hiteman and that there will be some hope of a better future for PRINCESS LAA.
This is great news! What sort of penalty is incurred for a conviction of a Class A Misdemeanor?
Code 35-50-3-2 defines the possible sentence for a Class A misdemeanor as 0 to 365 days in jail with a maximum fine of $5,000.00.
I hope they give him the maximum penalty; but first, he is “innocent until proven guilty” by the court, of course.
Is there any news of her whereabouts and wellbeing,
My heart bleeds for the horse in the next stall hearing the goings-on in the next cell. Hope he/she is not traumatized.
This is a huge victory in the fight to end this cruel and deadly industry.
Our team will keep working on exposing cruelty and seeking justice to the abusers!
Thank you for your support and dedication. Your gift today can help us keep working to end this cruelty for good. https://horseracingwrongs.networkforgood.com/projects/103020-main-giving-page
Nicole Arciello
Executive Director
Horseracing Wrongs
Hope he gets the maximum penalty and a tv station will pick up on this and show the video to the public. Most important, where is Princess and what is going to happen to her??
THANK YOU.
Hopefully, this development will result in a meaningful/substantive ~(ideally, maximum!)~ penalty FOR Dale P. Hiteman, i.e., if he’s proven guilty in a court of law.
In addition to the fact that Mr. Hiteman’s being formally charged —[with Cruelty to an Animal, a Class A misdemeanor]— is truly historic, it also seems that it would “set a precedent,” i.e., in bringing other (horrible/ghastly) acts of horseracing cruelty ………… OUT in “the light of day” ………… to >>> a resolution of true JUSTICE, which these (horrible/ghastly) acts genuinely deserve.
End. Horseracing. Now.