Accused dog hoarder case continues in Mercer County

Information didn’t come from the legal team as expected Monday for a woman accused of hoarding 200 dogs in Mercer County.

Karen Plambeck’s defense was supposed to hand over new redacted information. In fact, that was supposed to be delivered at her last court hearing. Prosecutors called for that redaction to keep people from using the information to make bogus claims of owning some of the hoarded collies. But the redactions weren’t provided.

The defense asked for two more weeks, saying a death in the family of the attorney doing that work kept it from being done.

Trae Harris of Local 4 News reports some case-watchers think the defense might be stalling.

It’s been almost a year since Karen Plambeck’s arrest in Mercer County. She’s had a few court dates, but her fate is still up in the air.

“She knows how to play the game. No, we’re not happy with it,” said Suzie Cummings, of Aledo, who volunteers at an animal shelter in the area. Cummings and her husband have attended each Plambeck court hearing, waiting for an outcome.

The Cummings believe the latest update to court proceedings are another stall tactic for the defense team.

“She wants rights to information that she has no right to have. So, that’s what we’re fighting against. She does not need to have some of that stuff,” Suzie Cummings said.

Now, with two more weeks until more progress is made in this case, the Cummings hope their presence and persistence can help bring the wanted outcome.

“She needs to pay some consequences, you know, other than just a slap on the wrist. She needs to pay this time,” Suzie Cummings said. “But she knows how to play the game. and that’s the sad part.”