A grand jury indicted a 39-year-old Suffolk man on an animal cruelty charge in September 2006.
Jonathan H. Powell of Hosier Road admitted to animal control officers that he killed his neighbor's cat, which was later found without a head, on or about April 11, officials said. He later turned his 12-gauge shotgun over to police. An indictment means a grand jury found that there was enough evidence to move the case to trial. Prosecutors said they don't know why Powell shot the cat.
Powell, who faces a maximum of five years in prison, is scheduled for trial on Nov. 16.
Records show Powell is a reverend. Case UpdatesA volunteer firefighter who leads weekly religious services at a homeless shelter received a suspended sentence for shooting the head off a neighbor's cat.
Jonathan Hubert Powell, 39, received the two-year suspended sentence on Monday for the April 11, 2006, shotgun blast that decapitated a cat named Garcia.
Powell, a lieutenant with the Whaleyville Volunteer Fire Department, told two police he shot the cat because it was scratching his car, according to testimony from his trial in March.
At his June 25 sentencing, however, Powell said he shot at what he thought was a raccoon or possum outside his house.
Circuit Judge Westbrook Parker convicted Powell of felony animal cruelty.
After his sentencing, Powell said he didn't know how the cat died. He said he learned some "very valuable lessons" that he hopes to share in his ministry.
"I'm sorry that an animal had to die," he said. "I will admit I made a very poor decision." | Source: msnbc.com - Jun 26, 2007 Update posted on Jun 27, 2007 - 1:42PM |
Reverend Jonathan H. Powell was found guilty of felony animal cruelty on March 22, according to court records. The conviction stems from an incident in April 2006, when his neighbor�s cat was found dead without its head. Later, Powell reportedly turned over a 12-gauge shotgun to authorities and admitted to shooting the cat.
Powell is scheduled to be sentenced on June 25, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. | Source: Case # CR060010550 Update posted on Mar 27, 2007 - 12:03AM |
Reverend Jonathan H. Powell is scheduled for trial on March 22, 2007 at 9:30 a.m. in Suffolk Circuit Court, located at 150 North Main Street, Suffolk, VA 23439.
Powell faces felony animal cruelty charges for allegedly shooting and killing his neighbor's cat in April of 2006. | Source: Case # CR06001055-00 Update posted on Mar 10, 2007 - 1:06AM |
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