Trial postponed
No verdict yet after the killing of tomcat “Karli”
"When I saw the video, I thought to myself, I'm not really like that", said one of the defendants on Wednesday in Linz. But he obviously was, because he had beaten a defenceless animal to death. Three friends did not intervene because they simply didn't think the boy was capable of it. The trial was adjourned.
Four teenagers were on trial in Linz on Wednesday for cruelty to animals. The friends had met at a home on January 30th in the evening, where the youngest of them is said to have beaten the host's cat to death. The three co-defendants claim to have been unaware of this, the main defendant pleaded guilty. The trial will continue on July 3.
No clear motive
It was an "unnecessary, stupid drunken act", said the defense lawyer of the 17-year-old at the time of the crime. The boy was "very sorry", which is why he pleaded for a diversion for his blameless client. However, the judge rejected this due to "the high level of guilt". The now adult was unable to give her an explanation for his crime: "I don't know why I did it," he repeated. The co-defendants, two 18-year-old twin brothers and the 19-year-old friend they were staying with, pleaded not guilty and their defense lawyers therefore requested acquittals.
No one took announcements seriously
The host, whose family had two cats and two dogs, had not seriously believed that the 17-year-old would make good on his announcement "after two beers" and kill the cat. After the main defendant had gone to the toilet, he reappeared with the animal in his arms and said that he wanted to kill it. The boy then disappeared outside. When he returned to the friends a short time later, he declared that the cat was dead, the 19-year-old reported in court.
Dog against cat
None of the friends believed this, however, dismissing it as "stupid news". They had actually come to visit to see the dog's litter. There had been talk that if there was one less cat in the house, a puppy could stay, one of the twin brothers recalled.
Nobody intervened
Everything had happened very quickly, the co-defendants explained in unison, explaining why none of them had reacted. "In shock", the twins then accompanied the 17-year-old into the forest, where the dead animal was thrown into the stream. One of the brothers made a video of it.
Adjourned due to additional charges
The following day, the main defendant then claimed to the owner, the 19-year-old's stepmother, that the twins had kicked the cat several times and that he had saved the animal by hitting it. In addition to cruelty to animals, the public prosecutor therefore also accused him of defamation. The defense lawyer for the main defendant requested an adjournment.
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