Aug. 10—BELLAIRE — A 28-year-old woman charged with five counts of killing and torturing animals and one count of animal cruelty had a motion for discovery of veterinary records denied.
The proceedings took place before Judge Thomas G. Power in the Antrim County Courthouse Monday.
Brooklynn Beck’s lawyer, Mattias Johnson, filed a defendant’s motion for discovery July 27, asking the prosecutor’s office to obtain all veterinary records for a victim in the case, a dog named Brandi.
Three months ago, Beck was charged by Antrim County Prosecutor James Rossiter for torturing and killing Brandi, in addition to two snakes, a lizard and an iguana, according to court records.
According to records obtained by the Record-Eagle, Johnson requested Brandi’s veterinary records because, in the original police report, the dog allegedly had pre-existing medical conditions that could have contributed to her death.
Documents filed by Johnson stated that Brandi’s conditions included past surgery, possible signs of excessive water consumption and urine production and was considered a “senior” dog at the time she was dropped off at Beck’s grooming business.
Beck owned and operated House of Floof, in a rented warehouse in Central Lake, with a man who was previously reported as her fiancée, Michael Patrick Turland, 43.
“If the court gives me authority to request those records from the veterinarian, I’m more than happy to do so,” Johnson said during the motion hearing.
Rossiter that the dog’s entire medical history is irrelevant because of the abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of Beck. Instead, Rossiter told Power that the prosecutor’s office received a post-mortem report for Brandi, and shared that information with Beck’s defense team.
The post-mortem report said that, up until the day Brandi was sent to Beck for grooming, she was in good health despite her categorization as a “senior” dog. Brandi’s necropsy, which is an autopsy for animals, said she died from asphyxiation, Rossiter said.
Johnson said he received the necropsy report for Brandi.
Power said he denied Johnson’s motion because it is not up to Rossiter to obtain records for the defense.
“The prosecutor doesn’t have them and it doesn’t sound like he’s working on going to get them,” Power said.
This investigation initially began when officials found more than 200 exotic animals dead inside freezers on the Central Lake property that Beck and Turland were renting, officials said.
Beck also was arraigned in April in Grand Traverse County on a single misdemeanor animal cruelty charge following a report from staff of a different dog grooming business in Blair Township, according to previous reporting.
Court records indicated that Beck was released by the Grand Traverse County Magistrate Tammi Rodgers on a $5,000 personal recognizance bond.
Beck’s co-defendant, Turland, faced similar charges of animal cruelty in Mohave County in Arizona, according to previous reporting by the Record-Eagle. Law enforcement officials from Mohave confirmed that a homeowner found 183 animals dead inside a freezer at a property the couple was renting at the time.
He pleaded not guilty to all charges; Beck also pleaded not guilty in the 13th Circuit Court in Bellaire.
If convicted of all of the charges against her in Antrim County, Beck could face up to 27 years in prison and $35,000 in fines, state sentencing guidelines show.
The case is scheduled to continue Sept. 12 at the Antrim County Courthouse.