Warrant That Led To Exhuming Pigs Challenged In Court

SWANVILLE, Maine - A search warrant that allowed animal welfare officials to exhume the corpses of several dead pigs at a Maine farm is being challenged by the farm's owner.The dead pigs that agents seized from Jerry Ireland's Ireland Hill Farms in Swanville later became evidence that led to the farmer eventually being charged with 13 counts of cruelty toward animals. The Bangor Daily News reports Ireland is accused of killing his malnourished pigs before they could be inspected.
 
Ireland's attorney argues the warrant was defective because it wasn't specific enough and any evidence turned up by it should be suppressed. The prosecution says evidence filed in a previous affidavit did support a probable cause search.
 
The presiding judge asked for written closing arguments by November.