Coroner acquitted of cruelty

LEOLA, Pa. - The Lancaster County coroner was acquitted yesterday of 11 charges of animal cruelty in connection with treatment of his pet guinea pigs.

A magisterial district judge made the ruling after about 90 minutes of testimony in the case against G. Gary Kirchner.

"I'm relieved," the 70-year-old Kirchner said. "What more is there to say?"

Animal-cruelty investigators said they found guinea pigs in his home with severe eye, foot and back infections. Kirchner said that the animals would sometimes wound each other by fighting but that he treated their injuries and provided adequate food and shelter.

A prosecution witness, Smoketown Animal Hospital veterinarian Heather Lineaweaver, called the verdict a "very huge miscarriage of justice."

"Any person with any sort of heart who would have looked at those pictures would not have let him off," she said.

Kirchner has raised guinea pigs for more than 25 years, providing the pets to homes and schools.

He is still awaiting trial on criminal charges of unlawful use of a computer and conspiracy after allegedly giving newspaper reporters a password to a restricted government Web site.