Posted on 04/22/2002 8:57:10 PM PDT by Terriergal
Canadian Cat-Torturers Escape Jail, Activists Fume
Fri Apr 19, 2:11 PM ET
By Natalie Jikerjian
TORONTO (Reuters) - Two Canadians who skinned a cat alive, and video-taped their venture claiming it was a performance art project, were sentenced to jail on Thursday, but one will serve his sentence at weekends, while the second walked free because of time served during the trial.
In comments and sentences that infuriated animal rights activists, Ontario Court Judge Ted Ormston ignored the prosecution's plea to jail the two for the maximum of 2-1/2 years.
The crime was "not the worst offense possible," he said. "There are worse ways that this cat could have died."
Jesse Power, 22, and Anthony Wennekers, 25, both from Toronto, had pleaded guilty to charges including cruelty to animals.
They filmed the cat as they tempted it with a mouse, then skinned and decapitated and disemboweled it, and left its body dangling from a coat hanger.
The 10-minute video, shown twice during the court proceedings, sickened spectators as they listened to the cat's increasingly weak and plaintive meows.
"This cat absolutely suffered and the videotape of its torture and ultimate death was one of the most upsetting things I've seen," said Amy White, director of communications for the Toronto Humane Society.
"I am extremely upset that the punishment for Jesse Power and Anthony Wennekers does not equal the severity of this horrific crime."
Power, a vegetarian and a student at the Ontario College of Art and Design, had said the video was an artistic statement about the suffering of animals used for meat, according to newspaper reports.
Judge Ormston sentenced Power to 90 days in jail, to be served over 16 weekends, followed by an 18-month conditional sentence. Wennekers was given time served because he had remained in jail since his arrest last May.
The two men also received three years probation each.
Police have not yet found a third person who appeared in the video, identified only as Matt. Flyers circulated in Toronto and at the courthouse urged the public to help find him and bring him to justice.
Canada's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was incensed at Thursday's sentences.
"Killing any animal in the name of art is deplorable and unacceptable," said the society's chairwoman, Vicky Earle. "There is no excuse for such cruel and criminal acts. Individuals such as these should never be allowed to possess or have contact with animals again."
These boys should have their addresses and phone numbers publicly posted.
There is a very special spot in hell awaiting them.
(That is assuming I don't meet them first.. won't be
enough left of them for hell.)
Besides, my point is to use her brand of rash generalizations to illustrate that no one wants to be judged by the worst of a group of people. You both missed the point.
Actually you did. You have decreed that "hunting" and "hunters" are all bad because of the slobs you allege you knew. You decreed that every one of us posting on that Sarah Brady thread secretly acted just like those "hunters" you say you knew/know.
If you don't remember, review your posts. You spent an entire thread attempting to get us to admit to activities we don't partake in, in a vain attempt to illustrate your belief that ALL HUNTERS act the way the you claim these individuals you claim to know acted.
Don't try to wiggle out of your own words. Stand behind them and admit that if I were to judge you based on these nuts who skinned a cat alive, using your ideological desire to assess the character of true hunters whom you have never met, I would be correctly assessing your character.
Live by your sword, die by your sword.
ALL people believe they should teach there kids to kill? I don't think so.
That's an outright lie...which I'd expect from someone who teaches her 6 and 9 yr old daughters to shoot squirrels for roaming in her yard. I didn't even hear of ALf or Elf until the one thread where you called me a terrorist just because I send money to HSUS who is connected to PETA who you say are connected to ALf or Elf or whoever who are connected to terrorism. In fact teriere....you told me that because I supported Doris Day foundation or any other animal org. that I was still a terrorist supporter because the money goes to them in the end..... you guys in those threads are getting desperate. Slander is against the law you know.
AH!! WHat a turnaround crawl.....you told me I am a terrorist because I support the DOris Day foundation or Hsus or any other animal groups because you said they "are ALL the same".
It also might be good if someone had a links list of the same type threads.Do you do that kind of stuff?They could be very educational to some.
I'm still real slow with a computer or I'd see what I could do.
Son of Rooster
Only if you use SG's brand of logic.
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