3 Men to Stand Trial in Horses’ Deaths
VIRGINIA CITY, Nev. — Two ex-Marines and a former high school buddy were ordered Thursday to stand trial in the killings of more than two dozen wild horses that were shot with rifles last winter.
A Storey County justice of the peace ruled that there was enough evidence to order all three bound over to District Court on felony and gross misdemeanor charges of maiming or killing another person’s animal.
Justice Annette Daniels dismissed four other charges against the three young men who attended high school in Reno together, including theft and grand larceny charges.
Storey County Dist. Atty. Janet Hess said she was pleased with the outcome, as did lawyers for the three defendants--former Lance Cpls. Scott Brendle, 22, and Darien Brock, 21, and Anthony Merlino, 20, a Reno construction worker.
The free-roaming horses were shot multiple times over three days beginning on Christmas Day.
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