University of Scranton senior Peter Freshour was found not guilty of one count of animal cruelty on Monday by Lacawanna County, PA jurors. Freshour admitted stabbing a cat to death last summer but claimed he acted in self defense. The prosecution acknowledged after the verdict that the basic facts of the case had not been in dispute but their job had been to prove malicious intent.
According to reports from the courthouse, two very different accounts of the events that led to a stray cat’s death were presented by the opposing sides.
Freshour – who the defense said just happened to be carrying a knife on him at the time – said the cat attacked him as he left his Scranton apartment and he was unable to dislodge the animal, so stabbed it to get it to stop and then “finished off” the wounded animal.
Freshour claimed the cat attached itself to his leg and sunk its claws and teeth into him. He said it came at him with ferocity, with hair raised, and hissing. He then acted out his description of the cat’s demeanor. Freshour said he stabbed the cat two or three times then finished it off after it crawled away crying in pain.
Two witnesses said they saw Freshuor stab the cat but said they did not see it attack him. The prosecution noted that a police officer called to investigate the stabbing did not see any of Freshor’s injuries and was not told of an attack.
Freshour’s attorney Paul Walker of Scranton said his client has a rare immune disease called Wilson’s Disease and was afraid the cat might be rabid.
The gray cat was known to neighbors variously as Pepper and as Baby. When Freshour appeared in court for a hearing in August 2012, following the incident, police alleged he used a bowl of food to lure the cat, then stabbed it to death, even as it tried to escape. The police said they found the dead cat in a trash can. Freshour claimed self defense at the hearing but the judge decided there was sufficient evidence for the matter to go to trial.
Animal activists followed the case and attended yesterday’s trial, though the matter did not get widespread exposure. Denise Kumor, who was there looking for justice for the murdered cat said “I’m very disenheartened with the justice system, but I have been for a while anyway. Animals are considered property and the laws have to change not just here but in the state of Pennsylvania.” She told the Times-Tribune, “In my mind, he is guilty, he always will be guilty, he knows he’s guilty.”
Denise Kumor is the founder of Tracey’s HopeHospice Care and Rescue for Domestic Animals, Inc. The organization posted about the trial at Facebook today, saying:
“Peter FRESHOUR was found “Not Guilty” of Animal Cruelty Charges by jury yesterday in Lackawanna County Court – The jury was told by Judge Michael Barrasse that they (the jury) needed to find Mr. Freshour Guilty or not guilty beyond a reasonable doubt that he killed the cat with “malicious intent” – Supposedly the jury had no solid evidence that there was “malicious intent” just witnesses testimony and the fact that Mr. Freshour was claiming “self defense” – Apparently Freshour’s attorney was upset by the fact that “everyone” snickered in the courtroom when he stated to the jury that “feral cats were rated the most dangerous animals in the USA” and blamed that on our activists – There is a difference between a feral and a stray cat – But everyone knows that cats, feral or strays, are far from being the “most dangerous animals in the USA” Freshour had several character witnesses on the stand, one being a legendary professor from the University of Scranton who taught the Judge and Freshour’s attorney … no furthur comments needed – Thanks for your support and your prayers in this case.”
Local Channel 16 news report on the trial:
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This just makes me sick! Of course he is going to claim it attacked, he doesn’t want to pay for his crime. Shame on who decided he was not guilty! It is obvious, this person needs to be watched. Please share his photo and other info.
This is probably not the first time this iguy has abused and/or tortured an animal, and likely it will not be the last. Many comments have already been made that this is a stepping stone to further and more serious abuse – animals and humans alike. He’s clever, and he’ll keep pushing for more, as most of these sort do. I hurt for the poor victims of this very sick man.
Cases like these need to be brought out in the open more often, it is sad enough a sick person does this to a defenseless innocent animal, bad power trip. The judge is definitely at fault for letting him go, needs to go back to law school.
If there is such a thing as an afterlife, may that poor kitty victim haunt them forever!
What a bunch of B.S. He should be put away. I am so sick of people abusing these innocent animals and not doing any hard time. I just wish animals could speak for just one day so they could file charges against their abusers and tell their sides.
I had a friend attacked by a cat while working in his garage with the door open. The nearest thing within reach was a 2×4 for defense. He eventually had to bat it with the 2×4, many times, even that didn’t stop it. Each time he tried to hit it away it became even more relentless and vicious. He eventually had to bash its head to a pulp with the 2×4 to make it stop.
He actually got scared of a cat for the first time in his life, or scared any animal for that matter. He’s a hunter, horseman, and avid outdoorsman. He had never ran into any other animal during his whole live that was so persistent and vicious as that before. That cat died as it deserved. He was only glad his little girl was inside the house and didn’t have to see him do that. Or worse, have her run into that cat first without him being there to destroy that cat to save her from it.
To protect his family and own animals from diseased cats he now destroys any that are unknown and roaming free. As do I. As does everyone in my part and other parts of the country. Not everyone is a self-deluded bliss-ninny when it comes to cats.
The net is flooded with stories of feral and stray cat attacks. All of them resulting in many expensive and painful rabies shots for the unfortunate humans or their pets if the cat cannot be located again to destroy it and test it for rabies. Educate your sorry ignorant selves. If not, may a cat rip your face off one day too, that too has also been reported many times in the news. People have even permanently lost the use of limbs and eyes from cat-attacks.
Or will you choose a bliss of self-inflicted ignorance instead? I’ll be betting on you all doing just that.