Cat Killers get a slap on the wrist
Total BS, they put the cat in the microwave and watched it scream while it cooked to death and only got 100 hours of community service and a year of probation
Edit: easier to read this way
"CAMROSE -- Two 16-year-old Alberta boys who admitted breaking into a neighbour's house, putting the family cat in a microwave and then watching it cook to death won't be going to jail.
Youth court Judge Shauna Miller sentenced the pair to one year of probation and 100 hours of community service. She also banned both boys from owning pets for two years, which means the family of one of the teens will have to give up a dog they purchased just 10 months ago.
The teens each plead guilty to charges of break, enter and theft, mischief and causing unnecessary pain, suffering and injury to an animal in the grisly incident that took place during Christmas holidays last year.
"The cat was screaming in the microwave for 10 minutes while it was essentially cooked to death," said Crown prosecutor John Laluk. "What makes it worse is they not only tortured the cat, but they wanted to torture the family. This was a deliberate attempt to inflict pain on the homeowners."
Court heard the two youths were among a group of five young people who broke into the home while the owners were away. Over the course of two nights, they caused at least $10,000 in damage.
Holes were punched in walls. Guitars were smashed. A television was destroyed.
But the most disturbing crime was described in a felt-pen scrawl on the kitchen window and cabinets: "You had a nice cat" and "it's in the microwave." Inside was the family's pet, Princess.
"This shows a lack of respect for societal values, you both knew your actions were wrong ... the reports indicate that," the judge said.
The family that was victimized was not in court yesterday. The teens apologized, but offered no explanation of their actions.
"I'm sorry for what I did and I can guarantee it won't happen again," said one teen.
The other added: "I am also very, very sorry. I can't believe, still, that I was involved in something with this intensity of wrongness."
A psychiatric assessment found one of the boys lacks guilt, remorse or empathy, but is capable of understanding his act. The assessment found nothing unusual with the other boy.
"There's no explanation for his actions," said defence lawyer Bill Anderssen. "At least he doesn't have an explanation. He knows these people are devastated by his actions."
Chris Millsap, the other defence lawyer, described his client as a gifted musician who plays in the church band.
"There's no explanation ... for such a heinous crime," said Millsap. "He's a very good kid who did something very wrong."
One of the teens lived only a few doors down from the victims. The other lived a few blocks away. Neither had a previous record.
Outside court, a handful of protesters carried placards that read "Justice for Princess" with a picture of the cat with a heart around it.
It's a taste of what's to come for the youths, said Millsap, who said the notoriety for the crime amounts to "a life sentence."
One family has moved away from Camrose. Schoolmates of one of the boys put a microwave inside his locker with a stuffed cat inside.
Two have pleaded not guilty and are set to go on trial in November and the other is facing different charges."
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