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Attorneys/Judges
| Prosecutor(s): | David Soars | | Judge(s): | Dan Lamont |
CONVICTED: Was justice served?
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Case #16231 Rating: 3.0 out of 5
Adopted cat drowned in bathtub, others abused
Albany, NY (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Feb 21, 2010
County: Albany
Charges: Misdemeanor, Felony CTA
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Caleb Capen
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A 22-year-old Madison Avenue man was charged with felony animal cruelty after a police officer said he spotted him torching the carcass of a cat police say he later admitted to having drowned it in his bathtub.
Officer Kevin Paul was patrolling Pine Hills around 6 p.m. Sunday when he spotted a fire in a snowbank in a vacant lot at 551 Yates St., police said.
On closer inspection, Paul discovered a dead cat burning inside paper and plastic bags and interviewed Caleb Capen, who was spotted nearby, police said.
Officers followed Capen to his home at 1156 Madison Ave., where they rescued two more cats that were later found to be suffering from broken bones -- also abuse victims, police said.
Capen admitted to holding the cat by its hind legs and drowning it in his bathtub after he adopted it several days ago, police said.
Capen allegedly told police the cat would not get along with the other two cats. He also allegedly admitted to striking those cats with a metal wrench, stepping on and squeezing them excessively.
The surviving cats were taken to the Animal Emergency Clinic in Latham for treatment and then turned over to the Mohawk and Hudson River Humane Society.
In addition to animal cruelty, Capen is charged with torturing the dead cat, a misdemeanor.
Police said more charges are likely in connection with the two surviving animals.
Case UpdatesCaleb Capen was sentenced to 6 months in jail and 5 years of probation on Aug 27, 2010 for one count of felony animal cruelty and two misdemeanor animal cruelty counts.
The sentencing judge, the honorable Dan Lamont, is the same judge who allowed the young men who pleaded guilty to blowing up a turtle with a pipe bomb to walk off with the equivalent of a non-criminal citation - effectively a parking ticket.
If you wish to contact the sentencing judge in this case, please send respectful letters to:
Honorable Dan Lamont
Albany County Judicial Center
6 Lodge Street
Albany, NY 12207
or fax letters to 518-436-3981 | Source: Times-Union - Aug 27, 2010
Update posted on Aug 29, 2010 - 2:44PM |
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