CAT MURDERERS
Courtesy of Court TV
March 8, 1997, volunteers for the Noah's Ark Animal Shelter arrived at work to find a gruesome discovery. Sixteen cats dead and six others severely injured. Blood was splattered everywhere. David and Laura Sykes, the founders of Noah's Ark,found dozens of other cats hiding and trembling in fear. Arrested were Chad Lamansky, Daniel Myers, and Justin Tobin.
Lamansky and Myers shot, killed, and skinned a cat that belonged to Lamansky's mother! How much hate this young man must have to kill his own mother's cat. I lament for the mother that has a son that hates her so! I hope they never live this down.
Well, the cat murdering and maiming creeps got 23 days in jail as punishment and 3 years probation, plus they have to attend a juvenile offender class through their local department of corrections. Their lawyer said "their punishment would have been lots less without all the media hype." Media hype - -can you believe this? Those people broke into the shelter with the intention of killing and terrorizing helpless cats.
The local animal rights people are lauding the case because it is the most serious punishment ever received in this state for animal abuse. And I guess it is progress. A beginning. But I am afraid that their slight punishment is not a very strong signal that this kind of behavior cannot be tolerated.
At any rate, let us all remember that sixteen homeless cats died as a result of the malicious acts of these teen-age boys and that seven others were seriously injured. It is hard to think, what the cats who were able to escape the violence, must have thought... the terror they must have felt in the face of this vicious attack.
As we, a community of cat lovers reflect on the tragedy of this evil act, let's remember that in addition to taking care of our own beautiful felines, we are obligated to advocate for those animals less fortunate. Let's do something extra nice for our local shelters this holiday season. Help find a home for a stray, provide food or make a financial donation for the less fortunate animals. Above all, let's be sure that we seek always to find the best and safest placements for our little darlings. And follow through on spay neuter contracts so that we don't add to the homeless kitten population in America. Victory Peterson From: bravi@juno.com Date: Fri,19 Dec1997 22:25:17 -0600
For those of you who missed it and wish to know almost word for word on program, this is an accounting of what the show presented as a news story.
Local high school athletic students are charged with a vicious attack on animals.....Two teenage boys have been convicted of breaking into an animal shelter and, will the town view this as a prank or something more serious?
What price should someone pay for cruelty to animals?
In the small farming town of Fairfield, Iowa these boys were found guilty of clubbing 23 cats, 16 of them to death. The crime was inhumane and senseless. But in the eyes of the law, just how serious?
Fairfield is a farming community, small town, life slow and peaceful. But the tranquility of this town was shattered one night last spring. The Noah's Ark Animal Shelter was founded by David Sikes 10 years ago. Mr. Sikes was interviewed and said he walked in his shelter and found animals brutally beaten to death beyond recognition with broken jaws and limbs huddling in the corners. Sixteen had been beat to death with baseball bats and seven others were seriously injured. In the dark hours of March 8, dozens were trapped inside unable to escape the slaughter. This was one of the worse attacks on domestic animals in memory. For David and Laura Sikes who opened the animal shelter 10 years ago, this was an attack on their family.
Prosecutor John Morrisey would soon find out the answer to his question of what kind of person would really do such a thing? As awful as the attack itself, even more painful to the community was the fact that three of this town's own athletes for Fairfield, High School were responsible for the crime. Justin Tobin, 18 pleaded Guilty to felony burglary charges and avoided jail by agreeing to enter a rehabilitation program.
18 year old Chad Lemensky and 17 year old Dan Meyers went to Court and admitted to the crime but had hoped to get only a misdeamnor conviction.
Reporter Len Cannon asks,"..so how do you punish such a horrible crime that committed against humans, this would be murder.."?
But against cats it turned out, the way for the jury to decide, would be to determine the value of the cats. If the cats were worth less than $500 it would be a misdeamnor, if more than $500, then Lemensky and Meyers would be guilty of a felony and would face up to 12 years in prison.
The case of the cat-killers incensed animal lovers everywhere and Prosecutor Morrisey painted a scene of horror that night, asking the jury to picture in their minds of all that happened. (Note, I can't begin to explain the photos and shall not do so)
Veterinarian Catheline Klein was called to the scene that night and described what she saw.....
Despite all the carnage, the case came down to the value of the cats. The prosecutor argued the cats were worth more than $500 (collectively),".....adoption fee of each being $50, considering the number of animals lost take you well beyond the $500 proof amount."
The defense painted a very different picture. They argued that because these were stray cats, they were worthless and one lawyer argued "...if one has no value then 22 have no value, 0 times 22 is 0". Another lawyer for the defense argued that, ".... this was less an act of violence than more of a hard-to-explain teenaged prank. It was stupid, it was silly.
Chad Leminsky's family (scene of father walking out of a barn) insists that Chad is not a dangerous person. "It was definitely wrong and he deserves punishment for it. He and we however didn't deserve everything that we've gotten from this deal. We've gotten death threats. Tom Lemesky (the brother) said he "....didn't see anything wrong with what his brother did, it was only a cat.
The jury reached a decision in two hours. Their verdict? The cats were not worth more than $500. That meant it was only a misdeamnor.
But last week the judge said the crime was serious enough to sentence the young men to 23 days in jail. One day for each cat injured or killed. They must also participate in a rehab program for young offenders.
The sentence has divided Fairfield. Some argue it's too harsh with one woman saying, "The whole cat killing thing is a case of much ado about nothing" with another young man commenting , "I think that's barely a slap on the wrist!" with others agreeing with him that it was too lenient.
Either way, all the media attention has angered some of the defendants supporters (scene of an older woman hugging a boy in a plaid flannel shirt and then seeing photographer, gritting her teeth and smacking photographer with her jacket)
Two young men are going to jail while the town wonders, did the punishment fit the crime.
The animal shelter attack has prompted calls for a change in Iowa law. Human society officials have said they will ask the Iowa State Legislature to make the crime a felony.
Well list, that was the show (almost) word for word. When I went to law school, the first thing we learned was that the law is really just interested in remedies which relate to the value of things. When it comes to issues of morality, feelings, the court views them as immeasurable things so they have to ask for a monetary value in order to have a starting point for things like damages or guidelines to what's written by the lawmakers (criminal codes, etc.) Animals have traditionally been viewed as property (again the value thing) despite the efforts of prosecutor in this case using the adoption fee as a value of each cat. The only way to protect animals is to get the state legislatures to write the laws and this can be brought about by public pressure. It should be interesting to see if Iowa laws will reflect the public pressure brought about by this case.
Thanking you all,
....Jackie Bell, Birbell in NJ
I see two types of men in this world; ones that are sensitive, caring and live their ethics. And then there is the other kind. The ones that have to prove their manhood by a callow display of machismo leveled on the week and helpless.
Webmistress
Valerie Kotas
Katascali Birmans
A 38-year-old Burbank man was arrested Sunday on suspicion of animal cruelty after he allegedly hit his 6-year-old daughter's cat, Boots, in the face and broke the animal's jaw, police said.
The man, William A. Painter, was watching television about 10:40 a.m. when he apparently became enraged by the cries of the male tabby, Burbank Police Sgt. Len Doran said.
Painter, an employee of Warner Bros. in Burbank, went to quiet the cat, which was locked in the bathroom, Doran said. Painter first told police he struck the cat once but later said he hit the animal twice,lightly with an open hand, Doran said.
Painter's wife told police she heard "crashing,the cat hissing and screaming, and him yelling" from the bathroom before Painter returned to the couch about 10 minutes later, Doran said.
The cat was taken to Magnolia Veterinary Hospital, where he was treated for the broken jaw. The animal also lost a tooth and chipped another in the attack, authorities said.
Copyright Los Angeles Times
Some people feel that groups like PETA have gone to far. I also feel that they have gone to far. Their are many reason why the Cat Fancy feels this way. DN a cat breeder, CFA judge, and what I feel is the St Frances to all animal, had to take a drastic stand against Peta and like organization not because she wanted to but because her love for cats demanded her to. Please visit the Santa Monica Cat Club what the world would be like without pedigree cats. I think after you read this page you to will feel DN's compassion for all cats. She is an example and an inspiration for all breeder of the Cat Fancy
And to my fellow Cat Fanciers: Don't be afraid to help humane organizations. Search out the ones that are truly humane and don't have a political agenda. By helping cats and humane organization we act as diplomatics, a liaison between these organizations and the Cat Fancy. If we give them an opportunity to get to know us maybe why won't be against us. You know the old adage "don't throw out the baby with the bath water."
Webmistress
Valerie Kotas
Katascali Birmans
http://www.vcnet.com/valkat/paws_sd/pawssd.html PAWS of San Diego
http://www.noahsark.org/
http://members.aol.com/sbucciarel/twentwo.html
http://www.petsandpeople.org Pets and People: Campanions in Therapy and Service.
 Web Page designed and maintained by Katascali Digital Design. |
| Please forward comments and questions to valkat@vcnet.com |
| Copyright ©1996,1997 Katascali. All rights reserved. |