Virginia prosecutor accuses former state Animal Law Unit director of retaliation

Former Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Gillian Deegan claims former Senior Assistant Attorney General Michelle Welch filed a false complaint with the Virginia State Bar after Deegan reported purported misconduct.ROANOKE, Va. (CN) — A Botetourt County, Virginia-based prosecutor on Thursday accused a former member of the state’s attorney general’s office of retaliating against her for reporting claims of animal cruelty and abuse of authority.Former Botetourt County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Gillian Deegan is suing her former boss, Botetourt Commonwealth’s Attorney John Alexander, and former Senior Assistant Attorney General Michelle Welch in Roanoke federal court, for claims of First Amendment free-speech retaliation. Deegan claims the two retaliated against her after she reported misconduct by the Virginia Office of the Attorney General’s Animal Law Unit, which Welch directed. Deegan says Alexander fired her, and Welch filed a**** false complaint against her with the Virginia State Bar.Deegan reported that the unit abused its authority, engaged in unethical practices and violated state law during and after its investigation of the Natural Bridge Zoo. In 2023, law enforcement removed 89 living and 28 deceased animals from the roadside zoo attraction during a raid for animal cruelty.Deegan claims the unit violated Virginia animal cruelty statutes and provisions concerning the seizure of companion animals. She says her lawsuit that she watched the unit remove several giraffes from the zoo.“Plaintiff observed giraffes being chased for prolonged periods, intentionally frightened, denied food and water, subjected to unnecessary stress, and handled in a manner that plaintiff reasonably believed constituted unlawful animal cruelty under Virginia law,” Deegan says in the complaint. “Plaintiff further observed a male giraffe struck in the neck by a heavy gate during the seizure operation and observed officials continue the operation without obtaining appropriate emergency veterinary treatment despite obvious indications that the animal had sustained significant injury.”Deegan reported the incident, along with the unit’s purported use of the private nonprofit Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force for law enforcement functions, to the state police, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, two state legislators and the attorney general’s office.“Plaintiff reported to Deputy Attorney General Theo Stamos that Ms. Welch and members of the Animal Law Unit had engaged in unlawful retaliation against witnesses, unlawful animal seizures, misuse of the Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force and other violations of Virginia law,” Deegan says in the complaint. “Plaintiff continued investigating Karen Michelle Welch and the Animal Law Unit’s conduct and obtained evidence which she reasonably believed demonstrated perjured testimony, fraud upon the courts and concealment of exculpatory evidence.”Deegan claims her lawful reporting of matters involving the Rockbridge County-based zoo led Alexander to terminate her and Welch to lodge a false complaint with the Virginia State Bar. The state bar committee dismissed Welch’s complaint, in which she accused Deegan of speaking with represented persons, acting outside her authority, providing information contrary to the commonwealth’s interests, and assuming a false identity. Five people connected with the zoo are slated for trials in early 2027.The lawsuit marks at least the third time someone has sued members of the attorney general’s office for retaliation claimed to have occured during former Attorney General Jason Miyares’ term. Former financial manager for the office, Ashley Miller, sued Miyares, a Republican, and other senior members of the office in December 2025, claiming they fired her for reporting possible corruption. She accused the office of funneling taxpayer funds to the nonprofit company Virginia Animal Fighting Task Force.Miller claimed the office passed payments to the nonprofit through employee reimbursements to avoid transparency. Miller’s co-worker, Linda Orr, filed an identical lawsuit against Miyares and office members in February.Miller and Orr eventually dropped Miyares and Deputy Attorney General Steven Popps as parties to the lawsuits. Their claims continued against the office’s former Human Resources Director Teresa Vice and former Chief of Staff Darrell Jordan, Jr. The parties held a settlement conference on Oct. 16.​Miyares, Welch and Alexander did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Deegan’s lawsuit.Deegan seeks damages, lost wages and full reinstatement of benefits.“Plaintiff’s communications concerned governmental misconduct, misuse of governmental authority, abuse of prosecutorial power, violations of Virginia law and matters directly affecting the public’s confidence in the integrity of state government,” Deegan says in the complaint. “Plaintiff’s speech addressed matters of substantial public concern.”Subscribe to our free newslettersOur weekly newsletter Closing Arguments offers the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world, while the monthly Under the Lights dishes the legal dirt from Hollywood, sports, Big Tech and the arts.Additional Reads