Cat thrown, beaten - videotaped - Lawton, OK

Saturday, Feb 14, 2009

County: Comanche

Disposition: Alleged

Alleged: Kenny Christopher Glenn

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

An animal abuse story that has sparked outrage across the country has Comanche County Sheriff Kenny Stradley saying that two local boys are responsible. The teen was filmed beating and torturing a cat, and uploaded it to YouTube over the weekend. It was viewed about 30,000 times.

7News telephones rang of the hook, and Reporter Robert Richardson took a number of the calls. Viewers read that the abuse happened in Lawton, and YouTube deleted the video, along with the user's account on Sunday. Edited portions - featuring 'Timmy' lead his camera operating friend inside a shower where a cat lay waiting for its fate.

The boy picked up the cat in what he called his 'laboratory' and slammed it against the wall and floor before striking it with his fists.

Sheriff Kenny Stradley visited 7News to watch the video for the first time, and it put him almost at a loss for words. He did, however, say this : "This is not a good deal. It s just...I have a lot of feelings for animals, and so to see something like this really bothers me. There s no use in treating an animal like that," he said.

Internet observers along with information from popular websites such as YouTube, Reddit, Digg, Facebook and Myspace, came up with pictures posted by a teen in Lawton that related to parts of the video. That's when 7News and local authorities began receiving calls. "At this time, it appears that it is here in Lawton. We re just at the beginning of this, but it s looking like it is from Comanche County," said Stradley.

The horrifying day may be over for the cat, but it is just getting started for its abusers. "We'll put it together and take it to the D.A. It will be up to the D.A. whether or not he files charges or not. Our job is to put the investigation together as a case and take it to the DA and that's what we'll do," said Stradley.

Stradley says the teens responsible were released to their parents by the DA and they and their lawyer will meet with investigators to determine their fate on Tuesday. Dusty, the cat, is alive and was taken to a veterinarian where it will remain until the investigation is complete. Stradley says he also has received an email from PETA that alluded to three other videos - with more animal abuse - created by the same user.

The suspect cannot be reached at the address and phone numbers listed by some websites.

Case Updates

Two Lawton area teens accused of beating a cat and posting it on YouTube over the weekend will be going through the juvenile justice process in Oklahoma. The 14 and 16-year-old brothers each face two charges of animal cruelty after law enforcement was directed to two videos on Sunday that showed the beating and torture of the grey cat named Dusty, and each video carries separate charges. During their investigation, the Comanche County Sheriff's Department discovered a third abuse video that shows the beating of a black and white cat - also at a teens' home. The sheriff's department rescued that cat today. The videos uploaded to YouTube show two separate incidents of animal abuse involving the same cat, and the teens face separate charges for each video. "We filed two counts of animal cruelty on each of the two teenagers today," said Comanche County District Attorney Robert Schulte. "They will be referred to the juvenile court system. We'll expect them to make their appearance early this week before the juvenile judge." The teenagers have a right to a jury trial, and if they waive that, a judge will decide their fate. Until the two suspects are 18-years-old they are considered juveniles and the court records will be sealed. However, Schulte says he knows there is a lot of public concern over the case, and the court is taking it seriously. "I can tell you that our juvenile judge is a long-standing judge, very conservative, very well thought of, very well respected judge," he said. "He will do what he believes is necessary, and feels best in this case as it goes through the system." The courts have ensured that the pets will not be abused again. Dusty was removed from the home on Sunday, and the second cat was removed Tuesday. "They have been treated by local veterinarians, they are doing well," said Schulte. "They will not go back into the home, and they are expected to be adopted out into a good home in the next few days." Schulte says he did not know what punishment the boys may face if found guilty, but said the penalties for a juvenile conviction could include psychological counseling, court monitoring until they turn 18, community service to provide restitution for treatment of animals, and/or placement in court custody.

Source: KSWO - Feb 17, 2009 Update posted on Feb 19, 2009 - 1:44PM

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