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10h ago

Jury Acquits NYC Carriage Driver in Animal Cruelty Trial

Jurors cited conflicting evidence about the horse’s collapse in finding McKeever not guilty.

FILE - A horse-drawn carriage heads along a road on Oct. 23, 2013, in New York's Central Park. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
FILE - Horses and carriages wait for customers on Oct. 23, 2013, near Central Park in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Carriage horses line one of the entrances to Central Park as drivers try to persuade tourists to take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the park.

Overview

  • A Manhattan jury reached its verdict within an hour after five days of testimony in McKeever’s trial.
  • Prosecutors said McKeever continued driving Ryder on an 84°F day despite the horse showing signs of fatigue.
  • McKeever’s defense attributed the collapse to a stumble on Ninth Avenue, citing a necropsy report that revealed leukemia and other health issues.
  • Video footage along with NYPD body camera records documented officers spraying Ryder with water before applying ice to revive him after his collapse.
  • The decision raises questions about how New York City regulates carriage horses going forward.