A judge this week ruled in favor of a Fort Myers man convicted of beating his dog, leaving the canine with a broken jaw and a trail of blood splatter across several rooms, granting him 31 days of credit for time served in custody in Massachusetts.
James Lyster, 53, changed his plea July 15 , court records show. He was sentenced to seven months in jail with credit for time served, followed by four years of probation. The court initially granted him 62 days of credit, which on Monday increased to 93 days of credit.
According to a Sept. 3 motion filed by Lyster’s attorney, Christopher Boran, Lyster remained in the custody of Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from Oct. 18, 2023, until he arrived at the Lee County Jail on Nov. 19, 2023.
Lee County sheriff’s deputies in August 2023 investigated a noise complaint at Park Crest at the Lakes, an apartment complex in the 13000 block of Parkcrest Boulevard, after a neighbor reported hearing banging, yelling and a dog squealing in the bathroom.