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.
>>God made us caretakers of our animal family members. They are like eternal children and require our care and love. <<
I firmly agree, except for the "eternal children" part. Well, I also don't consider them family members. Come to think of it, they don't require our care and love. They are created self sufficient. They would do just fine if we weren't here.
Maybe I don't agree after all.
Never mind.
P.S. I would have deleted this but I already had hit the post button. ;)
Perhaps for all those reasons you stated, you feel that you know the man and that he deserves what he got. Okay by me.
But I was wondering about the law, about its basis in reason. I was hoping someone could provide a convincing argument for punishing this man's actions (not his character or his motives or his potential future crimes) so severely, given that we and our laws accept the pre-eminence of our species over all others and condone the intentional killing of animals for food, sport, disease prevention, etc.
Then you have reached a conclusion unsupported by evidence.
"homina, homina, homina"
Thanks. I always wanted to know how to spell that.
But no one seems too eager to discuss the actual substantive issues here.
If you're looking for reasoned debate, you might have the same chance for success in a Terri Schaivo thread.
:-)
that is a great picture of Dean - poor little kitty...
I think being a psychopath is all that is needed to want to get him off the street. But, I know what you are getting too.....can't you find your answer in the laws passed on animal cruelty?
The article states: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.
The individual in question is a malevolent SOB who needs to be taken off of the streets.
Poor innocent kitten. The barbarian who did this needs his own head twisted off, and I hope some convict does it for him in jail to show him what it feels like!
St. Francis knew the deal.
No, we should focus on the kitten too. Kitties are beloved creatures who have a right to live.
I love when people respond to things I posted 3 months ago...lol....makes me go back to see if I remain consistent :-)
AMEN TO THAT!
People who can just kill a dog or cat like that because of revenge or nuisance are defects....no soul left in them. They need to be put down and taken out of society - fast.
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