Virginia Supreme Court throws out remaining convictions for Myrtle Beach Safari owner

WMBF News reports that MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - The legal case involving Myrtle Beach Safari owner Bhagavan “Doc” Antle is officially over after a new decision from the Supreme Court of Virginia.

In its ruling Thursday, the state’s highest court threw out every conviction Antle challenged and dismissed the indictments tied to them, ending the case without any chance of a new trial.

At the center of the decision is the law prosecutors used.

The Supreme Court said Code § 29.1-564 bans selling or offering to sell an endangered or threatened species, but it doesn’t actually make it a crime to buy one.

Since the charges against Antle were based on purchasing lion cubs, the court said the indictments were built on conduct that wasn’t illegal under that statute.

The court also reversed the conspiracy convictions connected to the same conduct, saying you can’t be convicted of conspiracy if the underlying act isn’t a crime.