Zachary Brewer, 19, of Biddle Street, entered a guilty plea Friday in Greene County Criminal Court to a felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals.
On Dec. 10, 2014, Brewer shot a cat in the back of the head with a pellet gun near its home in the 300 block of Biddle Street.
The cat, named "Grandpa," suffered life-threatening injuries and required extensive care at a Greeneville veterinary clinic. Area animal lovers pitched in to help pay the cat's veterinary bills.
Prosecutors told Judge John F. Dugger Jr. that the cat is still alive and has apparently recovered from its injuries.
Grandpa the cat is ONLY alive because good-hearted people donated money to pay for his giant vet bill. This POS didn't pony up one red cent - and it appears that they didn't include restitution to the victims.
Dugger sentenced Brewer to one year in jail at 30 percent release eligibility and one year on probation, with a five-day split confinement.
That means Brewer must serve at least five days in jail and if he violates any terms of his probation, he will go to jail for the full sentence imposed by Dugger.
Terms of probation include prohibiting Brewer from having a pet or owning a weapon for [just] a year.
WHY AN AGGRAVATED ANIMAL CRUELTY CHARGE MEANS NOTHING IN TENNESSEE
"Class E Felonies, are considered the LEAST SERIOUS of the five levels of felonies in Tennessee.
Nice to know that the state of Tennessee devalues animals so much that torturing and killing them isn't that big of a deal.
"Class E Felonies can have a prison sentence up to six years and no less than one year in a state facility. The jury may also access a fine of no more than three thousand dollars."
PATHETIC. THIS PERSON PURPOSELY TORTURED AND TRIED TO KILL AN INNOCENT ANIMAL. HE FACED UP TO SIX YEARS IN PRISON AND THE JUDGE GIVES HIM FIVE DAYS IN THE COUNTY JAIL??!
WHERE IS THE FINE AMOUNT? THEY PROBABLY DIDN'T BOTHER TO GIVE HIM ONE. WHERE IS THE RESTITUTION TO BE PAID TO THE VICTIMS? DOUBTFUL THAT ONE RED CENT IS COMING OUT OF HIS CRUSTY, FILTHY POCKET.
WHY IS THERE NO FORCED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR SOMEONE WHO DERIVED PLEASURE FROM TORTURING AND TRYING TO KILL AN INNOCENT ANIMAL? THAT IS PSYCHOTIC BEHAVIOR AND NEEDED TO BE ADDRESSED.
Dugger asked Brewer why he shot the defenseless cat.
Court officials said Brewer responded by telling the judge he was "curious."
A witness who lives on the street told Greeneville police last December that she saw Brewer "outside shooting the pellet rifle at a pizza box," the report said.
Brewer then turned his attention to the cat.
"She said she witnessed Mr. Brewer walk over to the cat, place the barrel to the cat's head and pull the trigger," a police report said.
Brewer saw that someone witnessed the shooting, "and he then kicked the cat, picked it up and threw it over the fence, and ran back into his house," the report said.
Brewer was taken into custody a short time later and charged with the felony count of aggravated cruelty to animals. He had been free on $3,000 bond until the case was resolved in Criminal Court.
(Greeneville Sun - September 22, 2015)
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