Traffic stop saves cat from owner’s plate

[SamanthaJane13]

Accused cat marinator is not guilty of animal cruelty
Gary Korkuc was found guilty of traffic infraction

Updated: Thursday, 17 Feb 2011, 5:48 PM EST
Published : Thursday, 17 Feb 2011, 8:00 AM EST

* Luke Moretti
* Posted by: Eli George

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Cheektowaga man has been acquitted in what prosecutors called a bizarre case of animal cruelty. The defendant was accused of marinating his live cat.

Gary Korkuc was found not guilty of animal cruelty by an acting Buffalo City Court judge. The former Cheektowaga resident didn't comment as he walked out of court Thursday afternoon.

He had been accused of marinating his former cat in oil, salt and pepper. He was pulled over by police last August who alleged Korkuc had run a stop sign, and police discovered the cat in his vehicle after they heard it making noise in the trunk. Police say Korkuc told them he was going to eat the cat because it was "mean to him."

A one-day non-jury trial was held on Wednesday, and Thursday the judge found Korkuc not guilty of animal cruelty.

Public defender Michael Pacifico said, "He was found not guilty. That's all I'm going to say. I'm not going to speculate to his mindset. He was found not guilty."

SPCA officer Lindsey Styborski said, "We simply were the agency that stepped in to help the animal. We were there to bring him back to health, and find him a great home actually. So if we look at the overall outcome, the cat ended up with a great family, in a great home."

Korkuc maintains the cat got into a spice rack and that he was on his way to give it a bath. He was found guilty of a vehicle and traffic charge of failing to signal a turn. The judge also acquitted Korkuc of running a stop sign.


http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/buffalo/Suspected-cat-marinator-to-learn-fate

Check out the comments...this "Judge" is an ASS!!

 

[SamanthaJane13]

Man acquitted in cat-abuse case


Gary L. Korkuc was acquitted this afternoon of animal cruelty by acting City Judge Philip M. Marshall, who said he was falsely accused of trying to marinate his cat and was prosecuted under an "obviously flawed" century-old law.

Marshall, who conducted a one-day non-jury trial in the case Wednesday, found Korkuc, 52, guilty of a single vehicle and traffic charge of failing to signal a turn when he was arrested about 7:45 p.m. Aug. 8 on Broadway and Memorial Drive. He also found Korkuc not guilty of a second charge of failing to stop at a stop sign.

The judge fined Korkuc $70 and ordered him to pay an additional $80 in court cost, all by March 31. Marshall lauded Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III for getting the felony animal cruelty charge lodged by Buffalo police reduced to a misdemeanor animal cruelty charge.

After the verdict, Korkuc shook the hand of his attorney, Public Defender Michael J. Pacifico.

The judge praised Pacifico's handling of the case and complimented officials of the SPCA Serving Erie County, which cleaned up Navarro, the SPCA-purchased cat Korkuc said he was taking to be cleaned after it ended up doused in olive oil and kitchen spices in his former Cheektowaga apartment.

Court officials said Korkuc was jailed for about 30 days before Marshall granted him bail last year with the condition that he be housed at a Transitional Services facility in the 2000 block of Main Street for continuing treatment for undisclosed mental condition issues.


http://www.buffalonews.com/city/police-courts/courts/article344661.ece

 

[AbsoluteApril]

seems like animal cruelty cases are never taken seriously..


my cat's opinion:

 

[SamanthaJane13]

seems like animal cruelty cases are never taken seriously..


my cat's opinion:

Tell your cutie that I agree!!