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Trial Set for California Man in Fatal Arrow Attack on Neighbor's Cat
Monday, August 06, 2007
SAN DIEGO - A man will face trial on two animal-cruelty counts stemming for
allegedly using a bow and two arrows to kill a neighbor's tabby cat, a judge
ruled Monday.
Robert Eugene Brunner, 47, was jailed on $75,000 bond in June, when he
pleaded not guilty to two counts of maliciously or intentionally killing an
animal and one count of animal abuse.
Superior Court Judge Joel Pressman dismissed one of the shooting counts
after Brunner's defense attorney argued he couldn't be held separately
liable for each arrow found in the cat.
"I am so thrilled that finally somebody listened," said the cat's owner,
Janeen Bubien. "I think that justice is going to be served."
The 3-year-old tabby named Bill was found near his owner's home in suburban
Vista with metal arrows in its neck and back the morning of April 12, 2006.
The cat died two days later after undergoing surgery.
"This cat suffered horribly," Deputy District Attorney Katherine Flaherty
said after the hearing.
According to a prosecution witness, Brunner said he fired the arrows at the
cat because it was urinating in his yard.
"He said he shot it with arrows and it was stuck to the tree," said Deena
Marie Thornton, who testified Monday at Brunner's preliminary hearing.
Brunner's attorney, public defender Cherie Brenner, questioned Thornton's
testimony, saying the woman may have been motivated by a cash reward for
information about the cat's case.
"He says he didn't do it," said Brenner.
Brunner, who was already in custody on an unrelated probation violation in a
domestic violence case when the animal abuse charges were filed in June,
faces up to four years and eight months in prison if convicted, Flaherty
said.
Brunner was ordered to return to court on Aug. 20 to get a trial date.
Trial Set for California Man in Fatal Arrow Attack on Neighbor's Cat
Monday, August 06, 2007
SAN DIEGO - A man will face trial on two animal-cruelty counts stemming for
allegedly using a bow and two arrows to kill a neighbor's tabby cat, a judge
ruled Monday.
Robert Eugene Brunner, 47, was jailed on $75,000 bond in June, when he
pleaded not guilty to two counts of maliciously or intentionally killing an
animal and one count of animal abuse.
Superior Court Judge Joel Pressman dismissed one of the shooting counts
after Brunner's defense attorney argued he couldn't be held separately
liable for each arrow found in the cat.
"I am so thrilled that finally somebody listened," said the cat's owner,
Janeen Bubien. "I think that justice is going to be served."
The 3-year-old tabby named Bill was found near his owner's home in suburban
Vista with metal arrows in its neck and back the morning of April 12, 2006.
The cat died two days later after undergoing surgery.
"This cat suffered horribly," Deputy District Attorney Katherine Flaherty
said after the hearing.
According to a prosecution witness, Brunner said he fired the arrows at the
cat because it was urinating in his yard.
"He said he shot it with arrows and it was stuck to the tree," said Deena
Marie Thornton, who testified Monday at Brunner's preliminary hearing.
Brunner's attorney, public defender Cherie Brenner, questioned Thornton's
testimony, saying the woman may have been motivated by a cash reward for
information about the cat's case.
"He says he didn't do it," said Brenner.
Brunner, who was already in custody on an unrelated probation violation in a
domestic violence case when the animal abuse charges were filed in June,
faces up to four years and eight months in prison if convicted, Flaherty
said.
Brunner was ordered to return to court on Aug. 20 to get a trial date.
