Dogfighting suspect to stand trial next month

A Tennessee man will soon be headed for trial in conjunction with his arrest on dogfighting charges in October 2007.

Curtis Pickering, 29, of South Fulton, Tenn., faces the same charges that were dropped in June and refiled in July; three counts of the class D felony of dogfighting.

Trial has been set for Jan. 15 before Judge Scott E. Thomsen in a Dunklin County courtroom.

Officers from the Stoddard County Sheriff's Department arrested Pickering on Oct. 20 at the residence of Jamie Sifford in Dudley, Mo., after finding evidence of dogfighting.

Pickering's original case was transferred to Cape Girardeau County before the charges were temporarily dropped. After being refiled in July, Pickering requested and was granted another change of venue that moved his case to Dunklin County.