More charges for third accused in cat slaying

Shannon Kari, CanWest News Service

Thursday, March 13, 2003

TORONTO -- A 21-year-old man accused of being the third person involved in skinning a cat and videotaping the act nearly two years ago is facing more criminal charges since his arrest in Vancouver last weekend.

Matt Kaczorowski has been charged with theft under $5,000 and possession of property obtained by crime in addition to an original charge of mischief.

All charges carry a maximum penalty of two years in jail and are connected to the cat mutilation, which occurred in May 2001 at a home in Toronto's Kensington Market neighbourhood.

Kaczorowski cannot be charged with cruelty to animals, which carries a maximum six-month sentence, because more than six months have passed since the crime occurred.

The slight young man made a brief court appearance yesterday. Kaczorowski, who does not yet have a lawyer, will remain in custody in a maximum-security detention centre in Toronto at least until tomorrow, when a bail hearing is scheduled to take place.

Prosecutor Robin Flumerfelt told the court he will "seek a detention" of the defendant until his trial. He declined further comment, because the case is "before the courts."

But it may be difficult to prove that Kaczorowski is guilty of the charges he faces, since they are all considered "property" offences under the Criminal Code and no one has come forward as the owner of the cat. Such offences usually result in a fine upon conviction.

The mutilation of the cat, depicted on a 17-minute video, attracted national attention during the April 2001 sentencing hearing of two other defendants. Jesse Power, 23, and Anthony Wennekers, 26, pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and mischief.

Power, Wennekers and a third man, alleged to be Kaczorowski, are seen on the video putting the cat's head in a makeshift noose. Its body and neck were stabbed repeatedly. Cries of pain could be heard as the cat's neck and stomach were sliced before it died. The cat's head was later discovered in a plastic bag in a refrigerator at the house.

Power was actually attempting to make a statement in favour of animal rights, his lawyer said during his sentencing hearing. Wennekers received the equivalent of a 22-month sentence, for the time he had spent in custody.

Justice Edward Ormston imposed an 18-month conditional sentence against Power, who had no prior criminal record. Ormston ordered that Power spend 90 days of the sentence in custody, to be served on weekends. The Crown is appealing the sentence.