Kennel Owner Is Jailed Again

Ruby Mae Brown was thrown in jail--again--Wednesday after showing up 2 1/2 hours late for an afternoon court session on 210 animal-cruelty counts involving alleged abuses at her kennel.

Brown, 61, who is acting as her own attorney, told San Diego Municipal Judge Robert Coates that her car broke down.

Coates asked her why she didn’t phone the court to tell them. Brown’s friend, John Holland, spoke up and said he called three times but the court’s phone number was always busy.

Holland said they were stranded on Sea World Drive and had to be towed. But the judge told him he wanted Brown to explain her tardiness, not Holland.

When Brown missed the afternoon session, Coates issued a bench warrant for her arrest and set bail at $20,000.

Coates conducted a bail review when Brown showed up and ordered her remanded into custody in lieu of $20,000 bail.

“I’m awfully sorry,” Brown said as she explained why she was late. “I would have been here if I could have been. This is the first time I’ve been late to a court appearance in 10 years.”

In his ruling, Coates said he had reviewed the death threats Brown had made to Humane Society officials if her kennel license was taken from her. The kennel is named Kelly’s Pet Hotel.

Within the last two weeks, Brown was jailed twice for refusing to turn over an assault rifle after making the death threats. She eventually gave up the gun.

Potential jurors had been waiting for jury selection to start, but they were let go after Brown failed to show up.

Brown has made several motions to dismiss the case and has requested a change of venue to another jurisdiction because of pretrial publicity.

The motions and jury selection were to begin today.