The Post's Andrea Peyser is now taking up the saga of slain hamster, Sweetie, who was killed during a Brooklyn family's dispute, because it's the perfect opportunity to wax about how trying to prosecute people who kill pets is a "waste of resources." Guess she hasn't read how animal and/or pet abuse can predict other abusive behavior! more ›

Joseph Petcka, a 205-pound former minor league baseball player who killed a former girlfriend's 7-pound cat in 2007, avoided jail time and probation after completing 500 hours of community service. During a trial last year, Petcka had claimed Norman the orange cat attacked him while he was in a drunken mood, provoking him into beating the feline to death. more ›

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." more ›

Joseph Petcka, whose last trial over his killing of a 7-pound cat ended in mistrial, is back in court today. According to the NY Post, he is expected to tell a judge "he wants a retrial—unless prosecutors offer him a no-jail deal or drop the charges entirely." Last time, eleven jurors believed that Petcka, who weighs 250 pounds, was guilty of aggravated animal cruelty (which would involve prison time), but one juror held out; the aspiring actor/waiter told the Today show he was thankful for that juror. Petcka's lawyer simply said, "We'll be in court to find out if they're making us a misdemeanor offer that doesn't involve jail." more ›

Joseph Petcka, whose trial for animal cruelty ended in a mistrial, has been making the rounds with the media to work on his image. He appeared on the Today Show and Inside Edition, where he said, "I hope there's something I can do in this lifetime that will make them see that I'm a person that loves animals." more ›

Though the jury was deadlocked over whether the 205-pound Joseph Petcka deliberately killed a 7-pound cat, the Daily News spoke to a former girlfriend, who has experienced his anger directly: He slammed a door on her fingers, with one finger so badly injured it was partially severed. The woman, who speaks to women about domestic violence, says the prosecution never contacted her about testifying. they did find him not guilty of harassing the cat's owner, his then-girlfriend. Also, the Post reports the jurors might be called back to deliver the harassment verdict since a juror said he didn't realize they were allowed to deliver a partial verdict--and apparently the jury didn't tell the judge they had a verdict on harassment charge. As for holdout juror Francisco DeFlaviis, he asked reporters to respect his privacy. more ›

After a judge declared a mistrial in the the animal cruelty case of a 205-pound man who killed a 7-pound cat, some of the jurors explained what happened during deliberations. The Post reported that "exhausted-looking" Shamsul Islam, Juror No. 11, said, "It was 11 to 1." more ›

After five days of deliberations, the jurors in the animal cruelty trial of a man who killed his girlfriend's cat could not reach a verdict, so the judge ended the trial by declaring a hung jury. Joseph Petcka, 205 pounds, claimed that 7-pound, declawed cat Norman attacked him so he defended himself, but the prosecution contended that Petcka was jealous of the cat. The feline was fatally beaten and had multiple broken bones, broken teeth, a lacerated tongue and a chest full of blood (Petcka admitted he overreacted). The former minor league baseball player-turned-actor was facing up to 2 years in prison if found guilty (the jury had to determine whether there was justifiable reason for him to act this way). more ›

The jury deciding the fate of Joseph Petcka, on trial for animal cruelty after he killed his girlfriend's declawed cat, is still at work after three days of deliberations and claims it was deadlocked. According to the Post, one juror told the judge he was "being 'coerced' by the other jurors," but after the meeting, " the jurors requested an easel, a "flip chart," colored markers and a roll of tape, ready to dig in again." They also want some testimony read back. Petcka, 205 pounds, claims the 7-pound cat provoked him, so he kicked the cat so seriously it had multiple broken bones, a lacerated tongue, and a chest full of blood. Petcka's lawyer was surprised at the long deliberation, saying, "The only time I've had jurors out this long is in murder cases." Perhaps he forgot his client killed a cat. more ›

Jurors deliberating the animal cruelty case where Joseph Petcka is on trial for killing a domestic cat named Norman are deadlocked, according to the AP. "Manhattan jurors sent the state Supreme Court judge a note Tuesday, saying they are at an impasse after two days of deliberations," but the judge "ordered the jury to return" tomorrow morning. Petcka, 205 pounds, had been using a victim defense, claiming the 7-pound, declawed cat attacked him. His lawyer believes this means "at least one juror is insisting the prosecution proved its case," which is for felony animal cruelty. more ›

In her closing arguments yesterday, prosecutor Leila Kermani told jurors that alleged cat killer Joseph Petcka, a retired minor league baseball player and sometime actor, is just a "washed-up, never-made-it-to-the-big-leagues athlete" and a "D-minus" actor. On Friday the 6'2" Petcka testified that Norman, the name of his then-girlfriend's 7-pound neutered and de-clawed tabby, "came and lunged at me, throwing me on my butt on the coffee table. Norman was biting into my hand." While he admitted to kicking Norman "hard," his lawyer insists "it was a tragic accident. It was not intentional." But Kermani showed jurors a photo of Norman wearing a Christmas bow and, sarcastically referring to the cat's teeth as his "fangs of fury," asked them, "How can this, knock over that?" The jury begins deliberations this afternoon; Petcka faces up to two years in jail if convicted in the animal cruelty case. more ›

NY Post columnist Andrea Peyser interviewed Joseph Petcka--the 205-pound man on trial for animal cruelty after kicking his girlfriend's 7-pound cat to death (the cat had a broken leg, three broken ribs, broken teeth, and a lacerated tongue, plus a chest full of blood). She finds him "uncomplicated" and writes his "life devolved into tragi-comedy" because of the incident. Petcka tells Norman the cat, via Peyser, "I apologize, and I'm very sorry - I'm so sorry this happened between us," says he loves all animals, and tells his side of the story. Petcka, who now has a new girlfriend with "an awesome dog," ultimately gets this reaction from Peyser, "He killed a cat! Can't this guy get a break?" more ›

Joseph Petcka, on trial for animal cruelty after fatally beating his girlfriend's cat, claimed self-defense, saying the 7 pound cat attacked him during his testimony. He told the jury, "He was coming at my legs." Keep in mind that Petcka is 205 pounds and 6'2". more ›

A prosecutor from the Mahattan DA's office called a man who killed his girlfriend's cat "an angry, jealous, drunken bully" during during opening arguments. Joseph Petcka, a 205-pound former Mets draft prospect and actor, is on trial for animal cruelty after he brutally beat an 8-pound domestic, declawed tabby. more ›

Last year, 205-pound Joseph Petcka was accused of killing his girlfriend's cat in a jealous rage. He faces charges of aggravated cruelty to animals and harassment (of his then girlfriend). Petcka left her apartment, allegedly yelling, "You love that cat more than you love me," but returned to confront 7-pound domestic cat Norman. The cat's body was later discovered with "a broken leg, three broken ribs, broken teeth, and a lacerated tongue. " It was later revealed that Petcka told the ASPCA that Norman bit him so he swiped the cat away. Today, his trial began, and Petcka's lawyer told the Post, "My client reacted to the attack of a cat, which under the law is allowable." more ›