FARMINGTON — A Franklin County justice granted a state prosecutor’s request Friday to have four animals that were seized from a New Sharon woman’s home in July to be forfeited to the state.

Assistant District Attorney Joshua Robbins told Justice Lance Walker that he wanted to reserve the right to seek more than $600 in restitution for the animal shelter’s care of those animals.

Carol Murphy, 71, who has violated two court-orders banning her from possessing animals during her lifetime, had filed a motion with the court to have two kittens, a German shepherd and a pot-bellied pig returned to her.

When she failed to appear in Franklin County Superior Court on her motion Friday, the court approved the state’s forfeiture request.

It is the second time Murphy has failed to appear in court on a motion she filed to have her animals returned since Oct. 1, 2014. The state seized 14 animals from her 248 Lane Road home at that time. The state granted custody of the animals on Oct. 31, 2014, to the state.

Murphy is due back in court on a Superior Court plenary contempt of court charge in relation to her 2014 animal possession case on Aug. 28. She was convicted in 2005 and 2010 of animal cruelty charges.

Walker set bail for Murphy at $2,500 unsecured bond in June after she was arrested on a warrant charging failure to appear for jury selection for the contempt case.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

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