A civil case hearing involving the owner of a rural Sleepy Eye farm where seven horses and three donkeys were seized on Nov. 23 began Friday using remote technology.
The Brown County Sheriff’s office seized the animal from Sapphire Equestrian Farms owned by Candi Lemarr, 26731 315th Avenue, Sleepy Eye, (just east of Evan). The animals were seized, according to a court document, because the animals were reportedly malnourished, undernourished and lacking adequate feed.
Lemarr said Friday that Brown County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Jeremy Reed said he’d take the (animals) or she could sign them over.
“Cops were everywhere. It didn’t make sense. My head started spinning. I couldn’t think,” Lemarr added. “I try to always do the right thing. I’ve never had cops try to take anything away. He wouldn’t tell me why I had to sign the paperwork.”
Lemarr said she needed the horses for her riding program and she was not allowed to contact legal counsel.
“There are times when I stress out and my mind goes blank,” Lemarr said. “Everything stops. It’s like I’m frozen in time for a little bit. It started after my daughter died…I have a very high-stress job besides running the farm.”
Her voice choked with emotion, Lemarr said she bought the farm to help other kids in the community and without her horses, her kids can’t practice for nationals in April.
“We do everything we can for the horses. We provide message therapy,” Lemarr said.
Brown County Deputy County Attorney Andrea Lieser played a squad vehicle video of Reed and Lemarr talking. Lemarr verified it was herself and her son in the video.
Lemarr’s attorney James Kuettner of Mankato objected, saying Lieser was “badgering” Lemarr and that it was potential for entrapment because she was asking Lemarr to confirm or deny everything in the video.
“The State is not committing entrapment,” said Lieser. “False statements have been released on social media. I have the ability to ask her about what happened at that moment in time.”
Kuettner said he has no control over what third-parties do on social media regarding the issue.
“There is an open, criminal investigation. Someone is putting out a plethora of misinformation,” said Lieser.
The hearing will reconvene at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22 in Brown County District Court.
(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com).