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Man sentenced to prison for tearing head off kitten
Quad-Cities Online ^ | September 19, 2006 10:58 AM | AP

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.


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
KEYWORDS: animalabuse; decapitation; jacobthornton; prison; shackingup
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To: swain_forkbeard
"Your argument consists of foul language and name-calling.

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...

61 posted on 09/21/2006 8:48:56 AM PDT by Eagles Talon IV
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To: freedumb2003
This isn't a Crevo thread -- if you want to go torture kittens, have at it.

What kind of a response is that?

You said they're "eternal children." Words mean things.

Are you a wiccan?

62 posted on 09/21/2006 8:50:13 AM PDT by newgeezer (Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary. You have the right to be wrong.)
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To: freedumb2003

"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.


63 posted on 09/21/2006 8:50:25 AM PDT by swain_forkbeard (Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
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To: swain_forkbeard

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


64 posted on 09/21/2006 8:56:57 AM PDT by Fawn (http://www.jokaroo.com/funnyvideos/toilet_obsession.html)
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To: swain_forkbeard

Yep.


65 posted on 09/21/2006 8:57:21 AM PDT by Fawn (http://www.jokaroo.com/funnyvideos/toilet_obsession.html)
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To: swain_forkbeard

If it was being tortured than you ask a good question.


66 posted on 09/21/2006 8:58:58 AM PDT by Fawn (http://www.jokaroo.com/funnyvideos/toilet_obsession.html)
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To: newgeezer
What kind of a response is that?

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?

67 posted on 09/21/2006 9:00:32 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Insultification is the polar opposite of Niceosity)
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To: swain_forkbeard
I guess we can agree to not agree on the equivalence of hurting an animal and a child.

That sounds fair.

68 posted on 09/21/2006 9:01:09 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Insultification is the polar opposite of Niceosity)
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To: Joe 6-pack
"If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will deal likewise with their fellow men." St. Francis of Assisi

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.

69 posted on 09/21/2006 9:01:42 AM PDT by Sir Gawain
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To: newgeezer
I mean, he said if someone were to hurt his cat, he would prefer to kill the offender.

And I stand by that.

My initial thought was that he must be a wiccan.

No, just someone who loves his cat.

70 posted on 09/21/2006 9:02:17 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (Insultification is the polar opposite of Niceosity)
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To: Sir Gawain

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.


71 posted on 09/21/2006 9:02:58 AM PDT by najida (The internet is for kids grown up-- Where else could you have 10,000 imaginary friends?)
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To: sinanju

"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.


72 posted on 09/21/2006 9:06:42 AM PDT by Bogtrotter52 (Reading DU daily so you won't hafta)
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To: Hoodlum91

It's a great ad, isn't it?


73 posted on 09/21/2006 9:18:01 AM PDT by miss marmelstein
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To: Sir Gawain
"I've also heard that many murderers..."

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.

74 posted on 09/21/2006 9:21:42 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: newgeezer
Looking at all the other crimes this creep has committed, the animal cruelty sentience should have been consecutive. Some day he's going to murder somebody.
75 posted on 09/21/2006 9:34:26 AM PDT by libstripper (!!)
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To: freedumb2003
It is the proper response to someone who is attacking me about something that should be a foregone conclusion.

"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.

76 posted on 09/21/2006 9:47:48 AM PDT by newgeezer (Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary. You have the right to be wrong.)
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To: freedumb2003
> I mean, he said if someone were to hurt his cat, he would prefer to kill the offender.

And I stand by that.

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.

77 posted on 09/21/2006 9:57:49 AM PDT by newgeezer (Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary. You have the right to be wrong.)
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To: libstripper
Looking at all the other crimes this creep has committed, the animal cruelty sentience should have been consecutive.

Agreed. But, apparently, the prosecution was quite pleased with their (hollow,) hard-fought victory for animal rights.

78 posted on 09/21/2006 10:00:36 AM PDT by newgeezer (Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary. You have the right to be wrong.)
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To: Eagles Talon IV

Is it possible for you to respond without resorting to ad hominem?


79 posted on 09/21/2006 1:01:35 PM PDT by swain_forkbeard (Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
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To: newgeezer

I tear the legs off chickens on a regular basis. I get 'em at Costco. They are very tasty.


80 posted on 09/21/2006 1:02:45 PM PDT by RobRoy (Islam is more dangerous to the world now that Naziism was in 1937.)
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