Serial cat killer gets 16 years.

[Catherine]

They have caught, convicted and sentenced a cat serial killer in California. The guy is particularly nasty.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/...6-10809337



It is scary that it took so long to catch him. If they could prove he killed 21 cats there may be more they don't know about.
Sixteen years seems to be a pretty good sentence. However when he gets out he will only be banned from owning cats for 10 years. How is it that he is not banned for owning cats for life. How is he not banned from owning any animals for life!
He also won't be on any registry so he won't be tracked. When cats start vanishing again will it take another 21 dead cats before they catch him.
What other crimes will he start committing?
Sixteen years doesn't feel long enough does it.

[Tobi]

Yes I know what you mean..."sixteen years doesn't seem long enough"
No it doesn't, considering this man is young right now, and very very sick psychologically. In sixteen years, after exposure to all sorts of criminals in jail, will he improve? We can certainly hope so....but can't bet on it.
I doubt it actually. It seems that what is wrong with him is beyond 'jail time'.

There is evidence of sexual abuse of those cats? The veterinarians say they cannot prove this definitely? Why not? -is my question. I KNOW that this could be proven by necropsy. Also by possibly taking DNA samples. But necropsy would be 99% hard evidence. A cat doesn't get damaged in that way by any other means except possible traumatic birth or serious infection etc. And a vet/pathologist can easily tell the difference.

What this man did is utterly beyond me. I am glad he received a decent custodial sentence, as at least he is off the streets and cat owners can rest now -for 16 years.

What he said: (I paraphrase as I can't remember his exact words, but something like...) "It felt like another man did it". I think should be listened to by experts, instead of just being dismissed as "manipulation". That man might be telling us something valuable about what is wrong with him (and maybe others who commit such cruel acts?)....

[Catherine]

This is a very  dangerous individual. He should never be turned loose without some level of monitoring. He got 16 years as a sentence, but he could easily be out much earlier. Can you believe that he will be allowed to own a cat after ten years. Is that ten years concurrent with his sentence or is it ten years after his sentence. There is a big difference.

Quote:What he said: (I paraphrase as I can't remember his exact words, but something like...) "It felt like another man did it". I think should be listened to by experts, instead of just being dismissed as "manipulation". That man might be telling us something valuable about what is wrong with him (and maybe others who commit such cruel acts?)....

Perhaps it would be better if he were committed to a facility for the criminally insane. They could hold him indefinitely and they could study him. I think we would be totally shocked if we really knew all the things he did. I doubt prison will in any way improve him. I can't imagine letting him out and expecting good results.

[Libby]

Just horrible. I have more to say but I need to wait until I'm not on my phone.

[Catherine]

I hear you about the phone. You can post, but it is not easy.

I can't believe that he isn't banned from owning cats for life. How could you ever trust him with a cat again.

[LPC]

(07-20-2017, 10:15 AM)Tobi Wrote: ....In sixteen years, after exposure to all sorts of criminals in jail, will he improve? We can certainly hope so....but can't bet on it.
I doubt it actually. It seems that what is wrong with him is beyond 'jail time'.......

What he said: (I paraphrase as I can't remember his exact words, but something like...) "It felt like another man did it". I think should be listened to by experts, instead of just being dismissed as "manipulation". That man might be telling us something valuable about what is wrong with him (and maybe others who commit such cruel acts?)....

This highly dangerous man is very, very sick and should possibly never be released back into the public domain. I share your doubts that putting him with a load of criminals will solve his problems. The problems will remain, locked in his brain, so he will spend the time in prison planning his future attacks.

This man needs to be put in a secure mental hospital for the full sixteen years, not a prison. Prisons offer parole and early release for good behaviour. So he could be out walking around and doing the same in a few years. That must not happen.

This sort of crime needs careful management, so that he will not repeat the same deeds on release. A secure mental hospital offers a better chance of changing him.

"It felt like another man did it". He may well have felt like that, with voices telling him to carry out such unspeakable acts of cruelty and abuse. He needs to be locked up for a very long time and given lots of treatment, so that he will never reoffend. No parole or early release for good behaviour, as such mentally ill people can be very cunning and behave impeccably in prison so as to get out early.

Yes, the public want punishment in this case - and got it. That helps people sleep soundly in their beds - but for how long? Parole after a few years? Early release after that? It is, unlikely that 16 years will mean 16 years; probably much, much less. It may satisfy public opinion, but will not put animals out of danger in the future.

IMHO, the vital issue is that such a dangerous man should never be released if there is the slightest risk that he could reoffend. He needs in depth assessment and psychological help, ongoing over a very long time.

[Catherine]

I think the man is a serious danger to reoffend. I think you are quite right that he needs a psychiatric facility and not a prison.
Sadly such facilities are not doing much to help people get better. In this case I doubt he can get better. Still he needs to be where they can try to help him. He needs to be locked up for the full 16 years. However psychiatric hospitals send people out on day passes by themselves long before the sentence is up.

So he will be out in the world again in less than 10 years. He won't be on any registry so his new neighbours will not be forewarned. I wonder how many cats will go missing before someone makes the connection.

I think we have a right to protect ourselves from sick people. He is clearly sick therefore we should deal with him in a way that protects the rest of us.

Will his next victims be children? It is possible.