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Case #5067 Rating: 3.8 out of 5
Cat spray-painted, set on fire
Medford, OR (US)Incident Date: Sunday, Jun 19, 2005
County: Jackson
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Jerry Lawrence McCray
Case Updates: 1 update(s) available
A mentally disabled man faces felony animal abuse charges after allegedly spray-painting and setting fire to his pet cat. Jerry Lawrence McCray, 35, appeared on July 18 in Jackson County Circuit Court on two counts of first-degree aggravated animal abuse and one count of first-degree animal abuse.
He remained in the Jackson County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail.
Medford police on June 19 went to a North Ross Lane group home where McCray lived with several other mentally disabled clients, said Medford police Lt. Tim George. A caregiver told officers that McCray said he killed his cat.
The gray feline, named Cosmo, was found in some backyard brambles, George said.
It had been spray-painted green, and its head was burned, he added.
McCray was not arrested when police spoke to him later that day in the psychiatric ward of Rogue Valley Medical Center, George said.
He was indicted July 13 on the charges and arrested July 17 on suspicion of failing to register as a sex offender.
McCray was convicted of second-degree arson in 1995 after pleading guilty but insane. He was sentenced to five years under the supervision of the state's Psychiatric Security Review Board.
Case UpdatesA Medford man pleaded guilty by reason of insanity to an animal abuse charge in Jackson County Circuit Court this week, after authorities said he stabbed, spray-painted and set fire to his pet kitten.
After his plea, Jerry Lawrence McCray, 35, was committed to the state psychiatric hospital. Circuit Court Judge Ray White ordered McCray to spend five years under the supervision of the state's Psychiatric Security Review Board.
In an attempt to exorcise a gray, 10-week-old kitten named Cosmo, McCray stabbed it multiple times with a small knife, said Sarita Glassburner, deputy district attorney for Jackson County. He then sprayed it with olive drab paint and lit its head on fire. McCray thought the cat contained "Indian spirits," the prosecutor added.
A caregiver at a group home for the mentally disabled where McCray was living first told authorities that he had killed his cat. | Source: Seattle Times - Aug 12, 2005
Update posted on Aug 12, 2005 - 1:37PM |
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