Cat Killer Pleads Guilty, Gets 500 Hours of Community Service

Joseph Petcka, the former Mets minor leaguer who killed his girlfriend's 7-pound cat, pleaded guilty to aggravated animal cruelty in exchange for doing 500 hours of community service. The Daily News reports that the offer "seemed to surprise" Petcka's defense lawyer, Charles Hochbaum, who said, "Wow! We're prepared to take that right now." Previously, the Manhattan DA's office took Petcka to court, but it ended in mistrial as the jury was deadlocked (a felony animal cruelty conviction would have sent him to jail). Petcka, who previously said he was sorry, told the News, "I like having the community service. I just hope what I do will make a difference in people's opinions of me."

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By Jen Chung in News on December 19, 2008 3:43 PM

Comments [rss]

MissMeowy

R.I.P. poor wee Norman. 500 hours of community service is indeed a joke - unless he has to do it all in one go with animals who are bigger than him.

Spirit of 76

Since he likes hurting animals, I hope the only job he can get from now on is in an Armour or Hormel slaughterhouse.

r1b2

^supervised, of course.

r1b2

My opinion won't change. He's still a douche-bully. His service should be with the ASPCA.

FelixtheCat & Christine Quinn'

yes, at least 500 hours in jail.

maxiemom

500 hours of community service isn't a punishment, it's a joke. He should spend at least 500 days in prison. Let's hope his 'sentence' keeps him away from animals, unless he's cleaning out a lion's cage.

Mr Mel

He will do that community service on a roof.

NannyState

He just better stay away from my cat while he's doing his service.

Felix Hoenikker

That's less of a sentence than even I predicted back when this was 'news'.

Kyle T

I hope the girlfriend dumped him. I can't even imagine what I would do if someone hurt my cat.

mihow

My opinion on this guy will never ever change. I don't care what he does or how many hours he spends cleaning up garbage or answering phones somewhere.

I only hope that the community service doesn't include animals.