Posted on 09/21/2006 7:09:47 AM PDT by newgeezer
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) -- A [St. Louis] Metro East man was ordered to spend two years in prison after admitting in court that he tore the head off a kitten in the wake of a fight with his live-in girlfriend.
When it comes to animal abuse cases, "we don't get prison sentences all the time, so it's always good when we do," Stephanee Smith, a spokeswoman for the Madison County State's Attorney's Office, said Tuesday of the case against Jacob Thornton.
Thornton, 21, of Bethalto[, Illinois], was to have had a preliminary hearing last Thursday on the felony animal torture charge but instead pleaded guilty, Smith said.
A judge ordered Thornton's sentence to run concurrently to a prison term related to a parole violation.
Authorities say that after a July 28 dispute between Thornton and his 30-year-old live-in girlfriend, the woman left the home before returning to find her kitten's head and detached body in the front yard.
At the time, Thornton was out on parole on a 2005 aggravated battery conviction.
Four days after he was charged with animal torture, he also was charged with burglarizing a motor vehicle. That case is pending.
Thornton's criminal background, dating to 2002, includes convictions of burglary, attempted robbery, retail theft, probation violations, theft, resisting arrest, criminal trespass to a vehicle and domestic battery.
I didn't even assert a position. I asked two questions.
Why did those questions irritate you so much? Does it make you uncomfortable to think about how you feel and why?"
I never mentioned any names or specific posts. Feeling a bit guilty, are you? Anyway, if the show fits...
What kind of a response is that?
You said they're "eternal children." Words mean things.
Are you a wiccan?
"Hurting a pet is the same as hurting a child."
Can't agree with you there. I guess we can agree to not agree on the equivalence of hurting an animal and a child.
It was for treating GODS creation with disrespect and for being revengeful, being a bully, being capable of murder (if it was a boyfriend of his wifes-he would no doubt be dead), uncontrolled rages, snapping and committing a hate crime (he resents the cat becuz his wife loved it). This is one sick mind that should not be on the streets. IMHO
Yep.
If it was being tortured than you ask a good question.
It is the proper response to someone who is attacking me about something that should be a foregone conclusion. If you want to defend someone who tortures kittens, we aren't on the same level.
You said they're "eternal children." Words mean things.
I guess some forms of prose are lost on you. I'll try to use smaller words for you.
Are you a wiccan?
Are you a turtle?
That sounds fair.
Bingo. I've also heard that many murderers started out being cruel to animals in their childhood. It's usually an early sign of a "disturbed" person that would harm an innocent kitten or dog.
And I stand by that.
My initial thought was that he must be a wiccan.
No, just someone who loves his cat.
My response is "Would you want someone like that taking care of your mother in the nursing home?"
It's a marker of someone that you don't want to be around.
"Unquestionably the act of a sick individual... "
I have noticed that alot of 20+ generation have more of a stomach for blood & gore as well as a overall acceptance of violence. My son, who is in his 20's finds it a bit funny that I have never seen any Freddy Kruger type movies, do not see any value or merit to violent video games and cannot stand to even see the Operation Channel on cable. The present culture has deadened many of them. Result....a lot more sick minds.
It's a great ad, isn't it?
See my #36. During his FBI career, Douglas, and later his subordinates, interviewed virtually every identified serial killer captured in the U.S. They identified a triad of behaviors which include arson, latent bed wetting and animal cruelty, and almost without exception, every serial killer had exhibited and acknowledged at least two of these three behaviors.
"Attacking"? Quote what I wrote where I allegedly attacked you.
I'm simply trying to determine where people like you draw the line between humans (created in God's own image) and animals.
I guess some forms of prose are lost on you. I'll try to use smaller words for you.
Thanks for another unjustified, knee-jerk response. Words mean things. To call something "eternal" means something, especially when you do so soon after invoking the name of God (who actually is eternal). It's not a big word. It has meaning. If you didn't mean "eternal" when you typed "eternal," it wasn't at all obvious.
"Are you a wiccan?" was a serious question. Perhaps you didn't know wiccans like to put humans and animals on the same level. And yes, they will invoke the name of God on occasion.
For someone who seems to have such deep convictions, you certainly come across as unreasonably defensive when asked some simple questions.
In other words, 1 hurt cat = 1 dead human.
With all due respect, I believe that makes you every bit as sick as the b*st*rd who tore the head off the kitten.
Agreed. But, apparently, the prosecution was quite pleased with their (hollow,) hard-fought victory for animal rights.
Is it possible for you to respond without resorting to ad hominem?
I tear the legs off chickens on a regular basis. I get 'em at Costco. They are very tasty.
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