California County Settles Lawsuit for $300,000 For Killing Girl’s Goat

The Shasta County Sheriff’s Office agreed to pay $300,000 after it seized a then 9 year-old girl’s pet goal without a warrant. The goat was then sold at an auction and killed. Jessica Long, the girl’s mother, sued the Sheriff’s Office and the Shasta District Fair, which auctioned the goat.  

Ms. Long purchased the goat for her daughter, who named the goat Cedar. The Long family had initially planned to raise the goat for the Shasta District Fair Auction, but the girl became attached to Cedar and refused to sell him.  

However, the Fair still wanted the goat for auction and the Long Family offered to pay the money owed, which was $902 with the Fair owed $63 as part of the sale. The Fair allegedly refused to withdraw the sale though, and instead threatened to press criminal theft charges. Eventually, two Shasta County sheriff’s deputies drove to the farm, though without a warrant, and seized the goat. 

Cedar was eventually sold and slaughtered but the location of his remains are unknown.  

The court determined that the fair’s own bylaws established the Longs still had ownership, and that the Sheriff’s Office failed to obtain a warrant for the search in Sonoma County. However, the county and the sheriff’s office are now settling rather than continuing with the trial, agreeing to pay the Longs $300,000. The lawsuit against the Shasta District Fair remains pending.  

A Broken Contract Is Not Theft  

The Fair’s alleged threat to press criminal charges was completely inaccurate. Only a criminal prosecutor can press criminal charges. If a prosecutor had looked into this, they would have pointed out that a broken contract is not a crime. Cedar the goat was owned by the Long Family and they had every right to sell, or not sell, their animal. While the Fair could argue that they had a valid contract for the sale of Cedar, the recession of a contract is not theft. The proper solution for the Fair was to file civil lawsuit, not call law enforcement.  

The Necessity of Due Process 

A search warrant is an order signed by a judge that permits law enforcement like Sheriffs to search a specific place for evidence for a criminal investigation. A search warrant can include a suspect’s home or place of work. To obtain a search warrant, police must convince a judge that they have probable cause to conduct such a search.  

If the sheriffs had attempted to obtain a warrant, they would have discovered that an allegedly broken sales contract is not probable cause to search a property. Even if the Longs had been in the wrong to back out of an agreement, the sheriffs had no grounds to intervene without a court order. The sheriffs not only broke a little girl’s heart, they also usurped the powers of the court by playing judge, jury, and ultimately executioner. 

Should I Consult an Attorney If My Property Is Being Seized by the Government? 

It is essential to have the assistance of a criminal defense attorney for any issues, questions, or concerns you may have related to civil forfeiture. Your attorney can review your case, advise you of the civil forfeiture laws of your state, and represent you in court.