This is an update on the heartless Brooklyn punk who spent the night in jail after a video went viral on Facebook last week. PoC covered this case a few days ago here.
As it turned out, Andre Robinson of Brooklyn, has only been charged with aggravated animal cruelty. Robinson spent the night in jail last Monday, then bonded out free and clear after appearing in Brooklyn Criminal Court on Tuesday. Apparently, Judge Jane Tully made the decision that since the cat was found uninjured, Robinson shouldn’t be punished further. Prosecutor Betsy Grobovsky had asked that Robinson be held on $5,000 bond.
Should additional injuries be found on the cat, named King by those in the neighborhood who looked out for the feline, charges may be upgraded. Robinson has to appear in court to face aggravated animal cruelty charges on June 9 in Brooklyn.
A petition has been started here, and has gathered more than 54,000 signatures asking the New York County District Attorneys Office to punish Robinson to the full extent of the law.
Robinson has a defense attorney. His lawyer, William Hair, stresses Robinson has held onto a good job for two years. Despite William Hair admitting he hadn’t seen the offensive video, he thinks the video footage that went viral on Facebook isn’t clear enough to see who’s in the video. How can an attorney make such an assumption on something he hasn’t even seen? What does his ability to hold a job have to say about Robinson’s character? There are plenty of criminals out there who held good jobs. A 21-year-old man should have a job.
Robinson’s mom had just finished berating a reporter when her son returned home from jail. But the neighborhood has been far from welcoming him back. Those who supported his glee in the video were nowhere to be found, and several neighbors have a poor opinion of Robinson since the crime was committed.
Which is what New York courts should remember this tragedy is. A crime. Whether or not the cat was hurt, kicking it was intended by Robinson to harm the animal. He can’t be so stupid as to think it wouldn’t. In my opinion, Robinson most likely intended to inflict pain. If someone had kicked HIM, he’d have felt it.
It’s good to know King was caught, where he could be examined and treated by a vet. It took NYPD officers, members of Sean Casey Animal Rescue and 16 volunteers several hours to pin King down. The cat squeezed into the engine compartment on a van, then raced off when found there and got inside a Ford Explorer. Once removal from the Explorer was attempted, King ended up under a dumpster after a chase through a construction site.
Resident Irvin Berth, who sometimes fed King, stated to media
“He’s from the projects, he knows they’re trying to capture him.”
That comment only intensifies what Robinson did to poor King. A projects cat, King trusted Robinson enough to come to his outstretched hand expecting love. Instead, this horrible excuse for a human HURT King.
According to New York State Law, § 353-a. Aggravated cruelty to animals:
- A person is guilty of aggravated cruelty to animals when, with no justifiable purpose, he or she intentionally kills or intentionally causes serious physical injury to a companion animal with aggravated cruelty, including the intent to cause extreme physical pain; or (ii) is done or carried out in an especially depraved or sadistic manner.
- Aggravated cruelty to animals is a felony. A defendant convicted of this offense shall be sentenced pursuant to paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section 55.10 of the penal law provided, however, that any term of imprisonment imposed for violation of this section shall be a definite sentence, which may not exceed two years.
In plain English, this means Robinson can be given two years in prison. Since it’s a felony, this incident can be used in the future, should his criminal activity resulting in arrest continue. As usual, until a person is killed by this man, only a slap on the wrist can be expected.
How do the readers here feel about Robinson being released with no cash bond? At this point, I need to end this before anger once again takes over my computer keyboard.
WHAT?????? i cant believe that what is use having laws when nothing gets done. Very sad and dissappointed.
Have you noticed how many articles I do of people shooting burglars? That’s the best way to handle things here.
yea it seems to be coming to that doesnt it.
Michael let me tell you a little story. I was working a convenience store one night. My boyfriend and another friend were sitting around when a friend of theirs walked in, went to the bathroom and then walked out. I didn’t think anything of it till I learn the friend who went to the bathroom went to another branch of the store, beat the woman who was working and robbed the store. Now in SC there’s supposed to be a 7yr minimum for strong armed robbery. This happened in 1998. In 2002 I read in the paper where this SAME man had robbed 4 convenience stores in the area. How was it he was out of jail? Well, this man is now working with KIDS in Greenville. Our laws suck!
Idiot with pull on trousers dragged on making stupid hand signs, he should have been shoved in a dark cell and left to rot, as should all animal abusers. This world has been turned rotten by incidents like this where people walk away scott free after acts of cruelty that make decent people sick to the stomach
What that judge did was to set into motion what the probable outcome will be, ie. virtually, nothing.
Apparently his lengthy criminal history, which includes knife point robbery, didn’t have any influence in the decision to let him bond out.
My form of justice is somewhat different.
Once he recovered from his mighty groin kick, he would stay in jail. Sentencing would include jail time, hefty community service (preferrably cleaning shelters), restitution for the time, effort, and expense of the rescue team, and a lengthy period of probation.
A lot of people think exactly as you do. I am one of them.
Thanks, the judge, for showing others what is good and will be encouraged and tolerated by the society. Thanks for showing and teaching us the best role model. Where is Your pet do you say? I’m sure the guy will be happy to continue doing what he started to be patted on the back.