Thursday, a man who once lived with the former MSU medical student accused of torturing and killing more than a dozen dogs testified in the case. Thursday, a judge ordered Andrew Thompson's case back to circuit court where he'll face trial on nine felony counts of animal abuse.
During Thursday's preliminary hearing Thompson's former roommate testified that he saw the abuse and killing firsthand. Andrew Thompson watched and listened as his former Okemos roommate took the stand.
The roommate says he knew of at least eight Italian greyhounds that were in and out of their apartment. He testified that one dog died right before his eyes.
"It was hyperventilating, trying to catch a breath. At that time I grabbed my laptop and we were trying to look up an emergency vet and within minutes the first dog had died," said the Thompson's former roommate.
Another day he says he saw Thompson got angry and abused a dog after it bit him in the face.
"He took the dog and threw it clear across the room and it went and hid behind the TV. It was shaking and whimpering," the roommate testified.
He also saw Thompson remove a dead dog from the apartment in a plastic grocery bag.
"I did see the third dog dead on the floor. I spoke with him multiple times to take care of the deceased body. It stayed there for a day or two," testified the roommate.
While he saw all this happen, he told the court he didn't say anything. When asked why he didn't ask him about the dead dogs or confront him he said he didn't know what kind of person he was and he was scared to do so.
The former roommate said he didn't call police or animal control but he did tell his girlfriend and his parents.
His testimony helped convince the district judge it was enough evidence to take the case to trial. He re-instated six of the seven felony counts that a circuit judge threw out.
The Director of Ingham County Animal Control, which lead the investigation, says she's relieved Thompson's case is headed back to trial.
"The evidence is good. It was a good case. Officers did their job...and I think there's going to be an overwhelming amount of evidence that's going to show exactly what happened and prove that these allegations are absolutely true," said Jamie McAloon Lampman.
6 News tried to talk with prosecutors and defense attorneys after the hearing but neither wished to make a comment.
Stay with 6 News as we continue to follow this developing story.
