Name of Accused:
Bullard, Kenneth Terrell
Date of Arrest:
10/01/2024
Charges For Arrest:
CRUELTY TO ANIMALS
Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]
On September 24, 2024, I, Deputy Sheriff Gruber, responded to [700 BLOCK] Cannon Rd in reference to an animal complaint.
Upon my arrival near the scene, I made contact with [WITNESS #1] and her son [REDACTED BY AGENCY] They advised that a black male was punching, kicking, and hitting a horse with a long stick on and around the roadway of [700 BLOCK] Cannon Rd. I went to the driveway where she directed the male had walked down. Upon pulling onto the driveway, I observed that male, later identified as Kenneth Bullard, walking his horse and carrying a large stick in his hand. I exited my patrol vehicle and instructed him to drop the stick. He initially refused and started walking towards me with the stick still in hand telling me not to put my hands on him.
It was at this time that I drew my county issued taser and activated it and told him again to drop the stick without pointing the taser at him and called for backup units over my radio. Kenneth then complied by dropping the stick, I then instructed Kenneth to tie the horse to a tree that was visibly distressed, after attaching the horse’s reins to the tree I instructed him to put his hands on the hood of my vehicle. Kenneth complied then stated that he has a blunt on him and emptied his pockets and put the items on the hood of my vehicle. Kenneth’s shirt was unbuttoned and flowing in the air around him and his pants were tight enough that I could see that no weapons were readily accessible on his person. I then placed Kenneth in handcuffs due to the hostility he was showing me previously stated and making statements that he was preparing for the end of the world and that he was one of the riders of Christ in the Bible. These statements and statements similar to that of him being from the Bible indicated that he may not be completely mentally stable. I also read Kenneth his Miranda Warning and made sure that he understood them as well before continuing to converse with him.
Kenneth would continue to make statements that he was one of the riders of Christ and statements similar to that he knows how to take care of his horse.
It was at this time that I informed other units to slow their response down and to have a unit meet with the original caller. I also requested a mental health counselor from Coweta Cares and Coweta County Animal Control to respond to the scene as well. I was able to get a better look at the horse who had what appeared to be welts along the neck and some blood on the snout. The horse also had a liquid dripping from its underside that I would believe to be urine. The horse was also pulling at the tree that it was tied to trying to get away.
After a moment Deputy Nash arrived on scene and after speaking with the caller, he stated that in the video he could clearly discern that the horse was being punched, kicked, and beat with a stick. Deputy Nash also stated that there is a clear difference when correcting a horse and beating a horse due to my lack of knowledge on equestrian practices. Shortly after Deputy Nash arrived on scene, Coweta Cares arrived on scene and while they were speaking with Kenneth I over heard him make the statements that he was beating his horse so that it could survive the end of the world and he was not trying to kill it to make it stronger.
Coweta Cares informed me that he would be 1013’d and taken to Pathways. Deputy Nash assisted with this and transported Kenneth in my place as at this time the horse had broken free and ran back home. It went to the house of [700 BLOCK] Cannon Rd in order to make contact with any other subjects who would possibly be home, however after several attempts no one answered the door. The horse which had fled back home was using the basement as a stable with lots of feces around and bales of hay inside. Animal Control had arrived on scene at this time and took several pictures and videos of this horse and its living conditions. After a short time, we were able to get the horse back into the pasture after it continued to run around agitated that it could not enter the pasture where another horse could be seen in the distance.
I returned to the [WITNESS #1] and [REDACTED BY AGENCY] who were able to get most of the videos emailed to me and will be attached through RMS.
A warrant was signed by Judge Wyant for Cruelty to Animals and was turned into the warrant clerk. The marijuana that Kenneth had on his person was submitted into evidence to be destroyed.
Deputy Nash advised me that Kenneth continued to be resistant while at Pathways and made the statement that he doesn’t care that he is there and that in a few days he will be out, go home, and do it all over again.
Animal control will be taking over the reporting of the mistreatment of the horses to the Department of Agriculture given enough evidence for the possible removal of the horses from the premises.
[End of Narrative]