Jason M. Whiting, age 21, shot more than a dozen BB's into the 6-8month old kitten owned by his girlfriend. He pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty.
The kitten was discovered wandering on Sesame Street in Keene, NH on 3/23/95. It had been shot 12 times in the head, 8 times in its hind quarters and a few scattered on other places of its body. A blow to the head had blinded the kitten and it had been walking around for approximately 10 days before discovered. Russell Pope, a Cheshire Contry Sheriff's deputy and animal complaint investigator for the Monadnock Region Humane Society stated that this ranks in the top 10 of all animal cases he's seen. "It was in miserable, miserable pain fro that prolonged period of time", said Pope. The kitten was euthanized.
Whiting did this to the kitten because it bit him.
A probable cause hearing was set for May 31, 1995 but it is expected that a grand jury will indict Whiting before then. Whiting said he will plead innocent and complained about his bail. Whiting was free on $5,000 personal recognizance bail. According to Whiting "A rapist can get off for $3000 bail and I get off for $5000. That shows how screwed up the system is".
Followup:
Jason Whiting proceeded to jump bail and was wanted for several weeks before he turned himself back into authorities. He pleaded guilty to Felony Animal Cruelty and served one year in jail. He was ordered to undergo Anger therapy and pay restitution to the Monadnock Humane Society for all expenses incurred.
This was the first Felony Animal Cruelty conviction in the state of New Hampshire.
Whiting married Ruth Morin, the owner of the cat, he so severely abused, before he went to jail. Neighborhood MapFor more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.
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