Kitten beaten to death, head twisted, slammed
Salt Lake City, UT (US)Incident Date: Monday, Jun 17, 2002
County: Salt Lake
Disposition: Convicted
Defendant/Suspect: Steven Lee Hovey
Steven Lee Hovey, 34, was found guilty by a jury of aggravated cruelty to an animal, a class A misdemeanor, and reckless child abuse, a class B misdemeanor, for killing a 10-year old girl's 3-month old kitten in front of her.
Hovey was accused and convicted of twisting the head of a kitten named Tyson on June 17, 2002 because he was upset with the child's mother, Angela O'Leary, for spurning his sexual advances. After the kitten scratched Hovey, he followed the kitten into another room and slammed it multiple times against the floor and a wall, and then bounced it off the front steps and into the gutter.
Hovey was acquitted of more serious felony counts of intentional child abuse, burglary and obstruction of justice.
Kelsey Lynch, the 10-year old girl, screamed "Please don't kill my kitty!" as she watched Steven Hovey beat her kitten to death in her Salt Lake City home. The child was left suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
After Hovey beat the kitten he left the house with the kitten's blood and feces on the wall, carrying the quivering kitten by the tail.
The incident started when Hovey, an acquaintenance of Angela O'Leary, pushed his way into O'Leary's apartment about 11:30 p.m. He sat down on the day bed and said he was "sleeping over." When he sat next to O'Leary on the sofa, she asked him to leave. Hovey became angry and grabbed the kitten and when it scratched him, he started to beat and throw the kitten.
Family members identified the dead and mutilated kitten found in a Dumpster.
The class A misdemeanor carries up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine.
Hovey's response to the verdict was he should have been found innocent of all charges. He will be sentenced on December 19.
References
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