Justice?
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A Billings MT man pled to a reduced charge for killing his neighbor’s cat. We wonder whether the sentence fits the crime and what it says about the penalty for a supposed nuisance killing.
Last October the family of a cat named Tiny told police they looked outside after hearing a gunshot and saw their neighbor, William Crain, putting something in an alleyway garbage bin. That something turned out to be Tiny, placed in a box and found later by his family, and who had to be euthanized.
At the time of his arrest Crain is reported to have complained to the police that the cat was a stray who had been killing birds in his yard. Whether he genuinely thought this to be true or not we cannot tell, but it seems to have been the right thing to say.
Crain was originally charged with a felony crime of aggravated animal cruelty for allegedly trapping Tiny and beating him with a hammer, which seems strange to us since the family reportedly told police about the gunshot, but we do not have a lot of information on the case. When evidence later showed that Tiny had been shot the charges were reduced to misdemeanor animal cruelty.
This past Monday, District Judge Mary Jane Knisely passed sentence. Crain’s punishment after pleading guilty to shooting Tiny and causing his death is a six month suspended jail sentence and payment of $358 in restitution.
Now we know the value of Tiny’s life, $358. Or, is $358 the figure that represents the penalty for committing a nuisance killing? We don’t know.
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Jerk!
definately too light a sentence…what a pig
People who kill pets, could kill people (Psychology 101).
no offense to real pigs, of course
>:( killing in purpose…im sure the sentence is not harsh ENOUGH – hope Karma gets this monster
Murder is murder. I can say that because I’m a vegetarian. Don’t kill animals, pets or otherwise. Period. Punishment here does not ‘fit’ the crime
I would like to see these types suffer, and truly get a harsher sentence. Because we need to put or foot down and show them that animals matters a whole lot too! And that our society won’t accept this behaviour from anyone.. Killing is murder!
all of my kittehs are strictly INDOORS ‘cuz this scumbag lives everywhere in the hearts of your neighbors.
the lives of my kittehs are my responsibility. I keep them inside so anyone who believes like this Crain scumbag can’t kill my sweet loving kittehs. <3
The sentence is never enough for these types of crimes. Until animal cruelty is considered more than a misdemeanor it will never change
Our society need to stop seeing animals as “property”. The way our laws are now, ** I ** would be in jail because I would have killed him.
Sadness for tinys family I have a place on Montana sorry to say there would’ve been 2 gunshots that day and a missing neighbor
He’s a piece of sh*t for sure but we need to keep our animals from roaming because of “people” like him.
A “nuisance killing” of a cat? I think a lot of people are a nuisance. So sorry to hear about this, my thoughts are with the family who have lost their pet.
Let me see him face to face…I’ll show him JUSTICE!!!
I whole-heartedly agree with each and every comment here so far. May this bastard rot in hell…
@ Terri Prada:”People who kill pets, could kill people (Psychology 101)” You said it sister! & @ Ingrid YES!
Bastard
He is disgusting scum.
Some night he’ll wake up to see two huse greeen angry eyes staring at him in the dark and the next moment he’ll be reduced to nothing more than a trembling rat…The Cat Goddes will have her revenge!
Good thing it wasn’t one of mine.
Hopefully his disgusting act is common knowledge amoung his friends, co-workers, and family who will never let him forget what he did to lose their friendship and loyalty. Maybe putting him on the street for this kind of act is a greater punishment than jail or prison. Hope.
must be punished..
our jails r sooo over crowded now…the judisual system is lessing the punishment so to keep down the prison population! thats justic for you! thats UR!!! TAX $$$ @ work 4 U!!!!!
Same here in the UK. I thought going to prison was a punishment for committing a crime. Apparently not, it’s rehab for the offender. Shame the victim doesn’t get that much support. Or the elderly. Or the homeless. Or the animals.
He says he killed the cat for killing birds ? Would he kill a man for killing birds ?? He is a coward and an idiot ! If he can kill a cat I think he can kill birds too !! Feel so sorry for the family !
He says he killed the cat for killing birds ? Would he kill a man for killing birds ?? He is a coward and an idiot ! If he can kill a cat I think he can kill birds too !! Feel so sorry for the family !