Cat show breeder Rexelle convicted

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, June 2002:

Prominent show cat breeder Debra Rexelle, 50, was on May 17
convicted of four felonies and four misdemeanors pertaining to the
alleged gross neglect of 212 cats found at her rented home near
Modesto, California, in August 2000. She was acquitted of nine
other charges, including a felony count relating to the discovery of
about 50 dead cats at the same site.
Rexelle was fined for keeping more than 50 cats on the
property without the correct license in 1993, but claimed to have
passed an inspection by local animal control officers in February
2000.

Cat Fanciers Association board member Joan Miller and show
judge Lindajean Grillo were called by the defense. Each testified
that Rexelle took exemplary care of the cats they saw, but they
acknowledged having never visited Rexelle at her home. Defense
attorney Lisa Fitzgerald Wagner argued that Rexelle was framed by
jealous rivals. Rexelle claimed the dead cats were left to rot in
order to salvage their skeletons for scientific study.
“Rexelle was immediately suspended from all CFA activities
and registration services as soon as the CFA board was made aware of
the raid and impoundment, and on preliminary investigation by the
CFA Animal Welfare Committee,” Miller told ANIMAL PEOPLE. “At a CFA
board of directors hearing she was permanently suspended from all CFA
services and activities for life, commencing on February 4, 2001.”