What the court handed down in this case is a disgrace. It reduced the deliberate trapping and drowning of neighborhood companion cats to a meaningless transaction and signaled that extreme cruelty can be resolved with a check and a shrug. When the justice system treats lethal violence against animals as a minor inconvenience, it tells the public that terror, suffering, and death do not warrant real consequences. That message is dangerous, and it failed the cats who died and everyone who expected accountability.

A Catholic priest trapped and drowned cats in West Memphis, Arkansas. The court responded with no jail time, no probation, and a token fine. The system failed the cats who died in terror, and it failed the public.

On Dec. 8, 2025, Judge Dan Ritchey approved a plea deal that allowed Charles Joseph Thessing to walk free after luring cats into traps and submerging them until they suffocated. The entire punishment totaled $3,000, including just $530 in fines and $2,250 in restitution. That is not justice. That is permission for cruelty.

This outcome did not happen by accident. It happened because the court chose indifference over accountability. It happened because the prosecution accepted a deal that ignored the seriousness of aggravated animal cruelty and the clear authority under Arkansas law to seek real consequences such as jail time, meaningful fines, community service, and a court-ordered evaluation. It happened because the people with power decided the cats’ lives did not matter enough.

Here is what Thessing did. Investigators reported that he lured trusting or hungry cats into traps. The cats panicked and fought for their lives. They were submerged in water, thrashed, and gasped as water flooded their lungs. Two cats were found dead on his property. This was deliberate, terrifying, and lethal violence.

After a tip to the West Memphis Animal Shelter, the West Memphis Police Department obtained a search warrant and worked with Animal Services. Thessing was charged with two Class D felonies for aggravated animal cruelty. He bonded out within hours. Months later, the case ended with a sentence that mocks the law and the suffering endured.

Accountability also failed beyond the courtroom. Thessing was suspended by the Diocese of Little Rock the day after investigators found deceased cats and traps. In March, In Defense of Animals requested that the suspension be made permanent. There has been no response. Silence is not leadership. Allowing someone who committed this level of violence to ever return to a position of trust is unacceptable.

In Defense of Animals delivered 12,786 signatures to Scott Ellington, the elected district attorney with ultimate authority over charging and plea decisions, urging maximum prosecution. Adam Holman, acting under Ellington’s office, negotiated and presented the plea agreement to the court. Under Arkansas law, Thessing could have faced up to one year in jail per count, fines of up to $10,000, hundreds of hours of community service, and a court-ordered mental evaluation for each act of aggravated animal cruelty. Instead, the prosecution accepted a deal with no jail time, no probation, and a minimal fine. The decision to offer that deal and the decision to approve it sent a message that cruelty against cats is negotiable. It is not.

Take Action and Demand Accountability Now

Below are clear, concrete steps you can take today. Complaints matter. They create records. They force a review. They tell officials that people are watching and will not accept cruelty being brushed aside.

1) File a complaint about the judge’s conduct

You can formally complain about Judge Dan Ritchey to the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission, the independent body responsible for investigating judicial misconduct and discipline in Arkansas.

The Commission requires complaints to be submitted on its official form so it can verify the facts, identify the judge involved, and evaluate whether judicial standards were violated. This ensures complaints are logged, reviewed, and preserved as part of the public accountability process.

How to do it

• Visit https://jddc.arkansas.gov/
• Download the official complaint form from the “Complaint Process” section.
• Complete the form using clear, factual language using the step-by-step instructions below.

How to fill out the Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission complaint form

Your information:
Enter your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
Anonymous complaints are generally not investigated.

Judge information:
Judge’s name: Dan Ritchey
Court: Circuit Court
City: West Memphis
County: Crittenden County, Arkansas
Case type: Felony criminal case
Description: Sentencing in an aggravated animal cruelty case involving the drowning of cats

Statement of Facts:
You can describe the issue in plain language. Example text you may use:

I am filing a complaint regarding Judge Dan Ritchey’s handling of a felony aggravated animal cruelty case involving the deliberate trapping and drowning of cats. The judge approved a plea agreement that imposed no jail time, no probation, and only minimal fines, despite Arkansas law allowing significantly stronger penalties for Class D felony aggravated animal cruelty. This outcome fails to reflect the seriousness of the crimes and undermines public confidence in the judiciary. I respectfully request that the Commission review this matter.

When and Where did the misconduct occur?

Location of the incident: West Memphis, Arkansas

Date:
December 8, 2025

Case No: 25-130

Supporting documents:
Attach or reference any relevant news articles or public information if available. This is optional.

Signature:
Type your name and submit the form electronically.

2) File a complaint about the district attorney’s conduct.

Unfortunately, for this complaint, it must be physically mailed.

You can formally complain about the prosecution of this case to the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct, which reviews ethical concerns involving prosecutors and other licensed attorneys.

Prosecutors choose what penalties to seek and whether to accept plea deals. In this case, the prosecution eliminated jail time, probation, and meaningful accountability despite the law allowing far stronger consequences.

How to do it

You want to get to the Arkansas Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct grievance form

Start at the Arkansas Judiciary website:
https://www.arcourts.gov

From the top navigation menu, select “Attorney Discipline” or scroll until you see “Committee on Professional Conduct.”

On the Committee on Professional Conduct page, look for a section labeled “Filing a Complaint” or “Grievance Process.”

Under that section, find the link to the grievance form. The direct form link is:
https://www.arcourts.gov/sites/default/files/formatted-files/1.6_GRIEVANCE_FORM_SC_AR_(Revised%2008-06-25)_(FILLABLE).pdf

This opens a fillable PDF. You can type directly into it.

Important note before filling out the form:

This grievance does not involve an attorney–client relationship. The attorney you are complaining about is a public prosecutor acting in an official capacity, not someone who represented you.

You may safely leave blank any sections that ask:

• Who hired the attorney
• Employer information
• Whether the attorney represented you
• Fees, retainers, or representation details

What matters is identifying the prosecutor, describing the conduct, and listing the date. A single sentence like the one below in the description box is enough to explain any blank sections:

“This grievance concerns prosecutorial decisions made by a public official. There was no attorney–client relationship.”

You do not need to disclose your employer or any personal legal details to file this grievance.

How to fill out the grievance form (quickest, easiest version)

Section: Complainant Information
Fill in your name, mailing address, phone number, and email address.
Do not leave this blank. Anonymous complaints are less likely to be reviewed.

Section: Attorney Information
Name of attorney: Scott Ellington
If the form asks for a Bar ID and you do not know it, that’s ok, leave it blank.
Address: write Crittenden County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Arkansas
Type of attorney: Prosecutor

If the form allows more than one attorney, you may list:
Adam Holman, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney, Crittenden County
If there is only space for one name, list Scott Ellington as the supervising elected prosecutor.

Section: Description of Complaint
In the narrative box, paste text like this or adapt as needed:

I am filing a grievance regarding the handling of a felony aggravated animal cruelty case prosecuted by the Crittenden County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. Despite evidence that the defendant deliberately trapped and drowned cats, the prosecution accepted a plea agreement that resulted in no jail time, no probation, and only minimal fines. Arkansas law allows substantially stronger penalties for Class D felony aggravated animal cruelty, including incarceration, meaningful fines, community service, and court-ordered evaluation. The decision to accept this plea failed to reflect the seriousness of the crimes and undermines public confidence in the justice system.

Section: Dates
Date of conduct or decision: December 8, 2025
If a range is required, you may list February 2025 to December 8, 2025.

Section: Supporting Documents
Attach or reference any news articles or public reporting if you have them. This is optional and not required for submission.

Section: Signature
Type your name in the signature field.
Enter the date you are submitting the form.

 How to submit the form

After completing the fillable PDF, save it to your computer.

You must submit it by mail:

Committee on Professional Conduct
Arkansas Judiciary
Justice Building, Room 140
625 Marshall Street
Little Rock, AR 72201

Top left: Anthony B. Taylor, bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock. Bottom left: Charles Joseph Thessing, the priest who trapped and drowned cats.

3) Contact his place of employment, the Diocese of Little Rock, through its website and demand permanent removal

You can contact the Diocese of Little Rock, which remains responsible for Charles Joseph Thessing and any future decisions about whether he is allowed to return to a position of authority.

Why this matters

After Thessing pleaded guilty to animal cruelty, the Diocese of Little Rock suspended him. However, suspension is temporary. It does not prevent someone from being reassigned later.

Public reporting showed that Thessing was initially expected to begin a new assignment outside Arkansas, in the Diocese of Shreveport, starting Jan. 1, 2026. Only after public backlash did that proposed assignment fall apart.

That sequence matters. It shows that without public pressure, a man who admitted to trapping and drowning cats could have been quietly moved elsewhere instead of being permanently removed from authority. The problem is not just where he would have gone. The problem is that reassignment was even on the table.

This is not about religion. It is about trust, safety, and accountability. Any workplace that gives people moral authority or power over a community has a responsibility to draw a clear line when someone commits deliberate violence.

The Diocese of Little Rock must do more than pause or quietly shift responsibility. It must make a permanent, public decision that Thessing will never return to ministry or any role of authority anywhere.

How to do it

• Visit https://www.dolr.org and use the “Contact” page to send a written message
• Request a written response and keep a copy for your records.

You may copy and adapt language like this:

I am writing regarding Charles Joseph Thessing, who pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after deliberately trapping and drowning cats.

Reports indicated he was initially expected to receive a new assignment out of state, which only changed after public concern. That sequence raises serious questions about accountability.

Temporary suspension or quiet reassignment is not an adequate response to deliberate violence. I am asking the Diocese of Little Rock to permanently remove Mr. Thessing from ministry and confirm in writing that he will never be reinstated to any position of authority.
This is a matter of public trust, not religious belief. Clear, permanent action is necessary.

We know how infuriating and heartbreaking this is. A man who claims moral authority instead chose to inflict terror and death on cats who may have trusted him, and the system meant to deliver justice responded with crushing indifference. That betrayal cuts deep. Your anger is valid, your grief is real, and your disgust is shared by all of us at In Defense of Animals. When institutions that claim to stand for compassion and accountability fail this completely, the only acceptable response is to name the harm, refuse silence, and stand with the victims who no longer can.

Please share this blog, especially if you know people in the state. If you can donate, we always appreciate it. Thank you for caring.