Man Accused of Marinating Cat Found Not Guilty

(NewsCore) - BUFFALO, N.Y. -- A Buffalo man alleged to have marinated his live cat and accused of making plans to eat the pet was found not guilty Friday of animal cruelty charges, the Buffalo News reported.


Gary L. Korkuc, 52, was cleared of misdemeanor animal cruelty charges by a city judge, who also said Korkuc was wrongly accused by police of marinating the cat.

Police rescued the cat, named Navarro, August 8 after finding it in the man's car trunk when he was pulled over for allegedly running a stop sign. The animal has since been adopted by another family.

Officers said they heard the cat crying from inside the trunk and found it in a cage "marinating" in a mixture of crushed red peppers, olive oil and chili pepper.

Officers said that Korkuc told them he did not like that cat, after it got into kitchen food items by accident and that he was "taking it for a Sunday bath."

Marshall pointed to "a great deal of confusion" from widespread publicity about the case, and said police wrongly accused Korkuc of marinating the cat.

Public defender Michael J. Pacifico called no witnesses in the case but said Korkuc had been abused by Erie County Holding Center inmates because of the negative publicity.

Marshall found the defendant guilty of failing to signal for a turn and fined him $70 for the transgression and $80 in court fees, all of which have to be paid by March 31.

Not guilty?  WTF!  I just don't get it.  What was he doing, giving the cat a spa treatment in the back of the car?  Unbelievable!  Until animals are treated as other persons and not property, this crap will continue.  Injustice. 
Source: http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpps/news/offbeat/man-accused-of-marinating-cat-found-not-guilty-dpgonc-20110218-bb_11951473