Animal Cruelty Conviction For Owner Of Grace Kelly's Childhood Home
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An elderly woman has pleaded no contest to animal cruelty charges in what authorities say was a cat-hoarding situation in Hollywood icon Grace Kelly's childhood home.
Eighty-two-year-old Marjorie Bamont was convicted in December of 14 counts of animal cruelty but didn't appear in court and appealed.
The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said Bamont pleaded no contest Thursday rather than fight the conviction.
SPCA agents seized 14 cats and a dog on Oct. 31 from the large home in the city's leafy East Falls neighborhood (See Previous Story).
Bamont is allowed to keep two of the cats with regular SPCA checkups. Adopters will be sought for the others.
Bamont has owned the home since 1973. Grace Kelly, who married Prince Rainier of Monaco, died in a 1982 car crash.
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