By John Dobberstein, Editor
After deliberating for more than 8 hours Thursday, a trial jury was expected to return to a Muskogee courtroom this morning to deliberate charges against former NFL player LeShon Johnson.
The trial against Johnson in U.S. District Court began earlier this week, as federal prosecutors introduced a myriad of evidence they say links Johnson to conducting a dogfighting enterprise.
But Johnson’s lawyers contend Johnson has always been a dog breeder and he is not guilty of the charges. Jurors deliberated into the evening Thursday before they were sent home for the night.
Johnson was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice earlier this year after authorities seized more than 190 dogs at his home in Broken Arrow and in a large field near Haskell. Investigators said it was the largest federal dogfighting seizure ever.
Prosecutors said Johnson, 54, was allegedly running and profiting from dogfighting enterprises in Broken Arrow and Haskell through Mal Kant Kennels. He pleaded not guilty.
After an illustrious career in college football Johnson had a short career in the NFL before retiring. This was the second time in 20 years Johnson has been the subject of dogfighting charges.
Johnson and 30 others were hit with a variety of charges related to dogfighting in 2004 after dozens of dogs were seized from Johnson’s possession at his residence in Tulsa and other locations. Johnson, according to court records, previously ran “Krazyside Kennels,” also out of Oklahoma, which led to his guilty plea on state animal fighting charges in 2005.
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