Cat impaled on pitchfork prongs, hit with shovel
Lake George, NY (US)Incident Date: Friday, Apr 22, 1994
County: Warren
Disposition: Convicted
Defendants/Suspects:
» Nick Mazzeo
» Mario Mazzeo - Acquitted
Nick Mazzeo, 31, and his father Mario Mazzeo, 72, were tried in Town Court for wrongfully killing a neighbor's cat that strayed into their yard of their home on April 22. One man was convicted and one man acquitted in the cruelty trial.
Nick Mazzeo was found guilty. Nick Mazeo has been released without bail and ordered to return January 24 for sentencing. The trial lasted three days.
Cruelty to an animal is a misdemeanor under state law. Conviction carries a maximum penalty of $1,000 fine and one year in trail.
Mario Mazzeo said he was working near his garden on April 22, when he was startled by the sudden appearance of a hissing cat. In an attempt to drive away the cat that appeared to be about to attack, the elder Mazzeo threw a pitchfork at a snowplow blade. But, the pitchfork hit the cat and impaled it on the two prongs of the pitchfork.
When Nick Mazzeo heard his father cry out, he grabbed a shovel and struck the animal twice on the head. Nick Mazzeo then loaded the dead cat into his vehicle and drove to an abandoned motel and threw the body over a bank.
The defense lawyer said the killings were "a terrible set of circumstances and a freak accident."
It was stated Mario never meant to kill the cat and his son acted out of a reasonable fear for his father's safety. Attempts to conceal the death of the cat shouldn't be held against them.
"The Mazzeos may have used bad judgment after the accident, but bad judgment is not a crime in this state."
The prosecution claimed it was not an accident. Saying that Nick Mazzeo lied twice about the killing, first to one the owners and then to a deputy sheriff. References- The Post-Star, Glens Falls, NY - Dec 22, 1994
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