Micheal Hale, the former Barren County judge/executive, looks onward as he speaks to incoming members of the Barren Fiscal Court in December 2022.
(WCLU NEWS FILE PHOTO)
By BRENNAN D. CRAIN, WCLU News
GLASGOW — Micheal Hale, the former Barren County judge/executive, and his wife, Shani, have filed a lien on an aging horse in their possession that belongs to the Barren County government.
The lien filed at the Barren County Clerk’s Office on Tuesday, Jan. 3, specifies that the Hales are entitled to $17,168.10 — likely for the costs associated with the horse’s care — from the Barren County government. It was prepared by Katie M. Brophy, a Louisville-based attorney.
A lien asserts a right to possess another entity’s property until debts are paid or a certain obligation is met. View a copy of the lien here.
Barren County Attorney Mike Richardson told WCLU News on Thursday he was aware of the lien’s filing and has plans to discuss the matter with Barren Judge/Executive Jamie Byrd and other attorneys.
“We just saw it the other day. Nobody’s in panic mode or anything,” he said. “We’ll just look at it and go from there like anything else.”
The matter is connected to the county’s seizure of ten horses from Turner Stables in late 2019. Magistrates of the Barren Fiscal Court agreed unanimously to board and care for the horses in April 2020. Eight of the horses have remained at the Barren River State Resort Park with the exception of the one in the Hale family’s possession and one euthanized due to poor health.
Click here to see the agreement.
The latest report sent to the fiscal court on Dec. 15, 2022, from Dr. Steve Webb, a local veterinarian, said the “animals are receiving adequate care and nutrition at this time.” He said the horses were underweight and unwell upon their seizure over three years ago.
The Hales began caring for the oldest horse — Taye(a), a chestnut colored Quarter Horse over 30 years old — after local veterinarian, Dr. Steve Webb, recommended she be removed from the area of the other horses due to “bullying” and health risks.
“I haven’t asked for a dime from the county for keeping this horse for 18 months,” Hale said in a Dec. 21 interview with WCLU News. “At $15 a day, that adds up. The medical costs — I’ve covered those out of my own pocket.”
Greg and Brittany Turner owned the horses before the county took possession of them. Greg pleaded guilty to nine counts of animal cruelty in early 2020 and later filed suit against members of the court, the Hales and others connected to the matter.
Though the first suit was dismissed entirely, the Turners have filed an action in an appellate court in hopes of having the decision changed. They wrote a letter to members of the fiscal court shortly after last November’s election and asked for their help to “put this behind us.”
Hale said he had not been provided guidance by the previous fiscal court on what to do with the horse toward the end of his term in December 2022. At that time, he did not detail his plans to file a lien on the horse.
“I think it’s an unfair thing — definitely for the horses — but I think it’s really unfair for our family,” Hale said. “All we’re trying to do is the right thing. The court failed to give any guidance. I’m just disappointed in that. I really am.”
County government received several sealed bids last spring from the public. Magistrates voted to accept the bids in hopes of selling the animals but the lawsuit filed halted the action. Those bids remain locked away at the Barren County Government Center.
Richardson said the lien could serve several legal purposes — especially since the case is in an appeals process.
“When it comes to law, people can assert all the claims that they want and whether it interferes with a case or not just depends on the situation,” he said. “I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know if it’s going to have an effect or if its not going to have an effect. I really couldn’t tell you one way or the other
I’ll just tell you that a lot of things could happen. People assert different claims all the time and it could have different effects and there’s no way of knowing.”
