Community Corner
Former Beverly Hills Mayor Not Competent to Stand Trial in Animal Cruelty Case
Charlotte Spadaro allegedly too in more stray dogs at her animal shelter than she could humanely care for.
A former Beverly Hills mayor has been found incompetent to stand trial on 16 animal cruelty charges in connection with an animal shelter she was running in Riverside County, it was reported today.
Charlotte Spadaro faces the charges because she allegedly took in more stray dogs at her Riverside shelter than she could humanely care for, prosecutors there have said, according to the Riverside Press-Enterprise.
Last September, her attorney told a judge that there were doubts about Spadaro's ability to understand the charges against her, or to properly defend herself, the newspaper reported.
Thursday's ruling, in the Riverside County Mental Health Court, means that a judge will decide whether to dismiss 16 pending animal cruelty charges against her. The Press-Enterprise said that hearing will be Dec. 12.
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The newspaper reported that Spadaro was convicted in 2010 of misdemeanor animal cruelty in connection with a shelter she had run in Rialto nearly a decade ago.
Spadaro, a former attorney, was on the Beverly Hills city council, served as mayor, and at one time was president of the Beverly Hills school board.
Find out what's happening in Beverly Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
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