Man charged with animal cruelty

August 15, 2000

By KATHERINE NGUYEN The Orange County Register

WESTMINSTER - A Westminster man faces a felony charge of animal cruelty after witnesses told police he beat a 4-month-old kitten.

Timothy Alan Freeman, 44, was arrested last week after police found the near-dead kitten hidden in a cabinet at his home. Deputy District Attorney Dan Hess said witnesses reported Freeman had slapped the kitten several times before submerging it underwater and throwing it against a concrete wall 10 feet away.

"The different types of ways he abused the kitten was excessively cruel and borderline torture," Hess said Monday.

The kitten suffered from severe shock with some internal bleeding, but is expected to fully recover. Two other kittens were taken from Freeman's custody.

Hess said the kitten's age contributed to the felony charge. Animals are helpless, especially at four months when they are so small, Hess said.

If convicted, Freeman could face up to three years in prison and up to $20,000 in fines.

A man who answered the door at Freeman's home Monday said Freeman was not at home and declined further comment.

-- cin (cin@cinn.cin), August 15, 2000

Answers

Thank God that these sick people are finally being held accountable. Personally, I think he's getting off way too easy. I think he should be slapped around, dunked under-water, and thrown against a concrete wall. Grrrrrrrrrr

-- cin (cin@cinn.cin), August 15, 2000.

Me too cin. It's also a fact that animal abusers are often people abusers too.

I wonder why this 44 year old chicken shit doesn't pick on someone his own size.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), August 15, 2000.

I wonder why the police were at Freeman's home in the first place?

-- Butt Nugget (catsbutt@umailme.com), August 15, 2000.

Sound like this person is somewhat confused on the proper way to prepare a cat for the table..you're supposed to hang them and beat them to tenderize not throw against a wall,although slapping it will tenderize (much like hanging a puppy and beating to death with a flexible branch like they do in the east)..then they are skinned,gutted and cooked over a slow cool fire until tender..of course I guess you can parboil if the cat is the free range type causing them to be tough and producing a stringy type meat product..

-- meat be meat (whether c@t.or kitten), August 15, 2000.

give it a rest why dont you {shakes head in disgust}

-- cin (cin@cinn.cin), August 15, 2000.

The police came to the man's home after witnesses called police to report Freeman had been abusing the kitten. I think that it was mentioned in the first paragraph of the article that he was arrested after witnesses called police.

-- katherine nguyen (knguyen@ocregister.com), February 13, 2001.