Psychiatric test ordered in animal cruelty case
Donna Lee Bell, the woman accused of hoarding more than 100 dogs in two Harford County homes, entered a plea of not criminally responsible yesterday in Harford District Court and agreed to undergo psychiatric evaluation before further legal proceedings.
Bell, 59, will have an outpatient evaluation within about a month, most likely at Spring Grove, a state-run hospital for the mentally ill in Baltimore County, her attorney said. The examining psychiatrist could forward Bell's case to a panel of experts that would conduct a more in-depth study.
FOR THE RECORD - A headline on a brief article in yesterday's Maryland section incorrectly stated that eight Baltimore residents were fined for failing to drain standing water that served as potential breeding grounds for mosquitos bearing West Nile virus. In fact, the city Health Department issued citations that threatened fines unless the residents removed the hazards. Fines had not been imposed.
THE SUN REGRETS THE ERROR
Bell "recognizes that she needs psychological help and is getting that now," said her attorney, Leonard H. Shapiro. "This situation has been really traumatic for her."
Judge Lawrence S. Lanahan Jr. postponed further proceedings to allow for the evaluation.
In May, Bell was arrested and charged with 118 counts of animal cruelty after dozens of dogs and several cats were found living amid filth and carcasses in her two Whiteford properties.
Each misdemeanor cruelty count carries a maximum penalty of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
The Humane Society of Harford County, which has sheltered the animals, has received nearly $20,000 in donations to help with their care and has found homes for many of them.
mary gail hare
Baltimore: West Nile virus
8 residents fined for not draining water
The Baltimore Health Department has issued citations against eight city residents for failing to rid their properties of potential breeding grounds for mosquitos carrying West Nile virus. The residents, threatened with fines unless they remove the hazards, lived near two elderly residents in Northeast Baltimore who recently became seriously ill with what appears to be West Nile. They had allegedly failed to empty water from vessels such as flower pots. "People, especially on the day after a rain, should be looking out for standing water and getting rid of it," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, city health commissioner. In recent weeks, three people -- all older than 65 -- were hospitalized. They had tested positive in preliminary tests; all have recovered. No other cases have been reported in Baltimore this year. Severe cases can result in high fever, headache, neck stiffness, coma, tremors, vision loss and paralysis.
Jonathan Bor
Homelessness
Session today focuses on Md.'s 10-year plan
