This is an update on a cat abuse case that went viral after a video was uploaded to the social media website Twitter on November 2 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. According to Tuscaloosa Police Lieutenant Teena Richardson, an investigation was launched by the Tuscaloosa police after phone calls and emails started coming in about someone abusing a cat.
Tuscaloosa Police recently named the University of Alabama student who posted the approximately 10 second cat abuse video as Brandon White. The suspect’s mother, University of West Alabama police Officer Josette White, and her son aren’t offering any statements at this time. An attorney has been secured and police have held a press conference, which can be viewed below.
Update: this is the video. Don’t watch it if it might upset you. It is quite horrendous actually. This is clear animal abuse and a crime.
https://youtu.be/SwqZTOEFD9E
Police Chief Steven Anderson reported that White also posted photos of himself where he appeared to choke a cat on the social media site Snap Chat. Tuscaloosa police assigned an investigator to the case last week, but no one at the home where the abuse allegedly took place could be contacted.
White was contacted by phone and investigators, including those with the University of Alabama police, visited the apartment on November 3rd. They were allowed inside the home by an adult female, but found none of the items shown in the video posted by the suspect.
A video of the Tuscaloosa Police press conference can be seen below:
A search warrant was delayed on Friday when officers were unable to get a warrant because a judge was unavailable in Sumter County where the suspect is from. On Monday, officers were able to get a search warrant signed by a circuit court judge after contacting another circuit judge in Marengo County. Tuscaloosa as well as Sumter County were able to get inside White’s home and to personally see the cat which they assessed as “safe and unharmed.”
Investigators took photographs and a video of the cat and gathered documentation showing that the cat had been seen by a vet. The vet’s receipt listed a physical examination as well as rabies and a FVRCPC vaccine. With the abuse the cat suffered, it would seem necessary to have more than a basic exam performed to ensure no internal issues were suffered. From what I gather, the cat is still in the home.
This is turning into an interesting case. Several people are accusing the police of wrongdoing in how the case is being handled, both in how the suspect as well as the cat, now known as Jenny, have been treated. Police are saying the White family has been uncooperative throughout this investigation. A Facebook profile page has been set up for Jenny. The Tuscaloosa PD Facebook page is also very active at this time.
Please forgive the length of this article. It’s a very complicated case. It does show just how stupid people are when it comes to social media. Not only is it wrong to abuse an animal, about the most stupid act an abuser can commit is to then brag about the abuse on social media.
If anyone has additional information, please share it in the comment section. This will definitely be a case to watch.
Please comment on Facebook as well as it helps spread the word – thanks.
Associated: Crush Videos
I’ve lived in Alabama years ago and it’s a good old boy state unless you get more attention for this case the abuse will go on till the cat is dead. No one will get in any trouble and just get another cat and do the same thing to it.
Thanks Susan.
I’ve been told I have the dates wrong on this article. Here are my sources so please correct if I’m overlooking this. I’ve already been called an “idiot” for this as well as I’m being told I said this is a different cat. Maybe it is and maybe it isn’t.
I had half an hour to write this before leaving work as Michael had something come up and needed me. So I wasn’t paying that much attention to photos and I CAN’T bring myself to watch the video.
Link A dated November 3 says calls started coming in “Monday night” which would be November 2
Link B dated November 5 says calls started coming in “Monday night” which would be November 2
Link C dated November 9 says a search warrant couldn’t be secured “Friday night” which would be November 6. Then the article says “But on Monday, officers were able to get a search warrant signed by a circuit court judge after contacting another circuit judge in Marengo County.” Monday was November 9. It couldn’t have been the previous Monday because the post hadn’t gone viral yet.
Elisa. It is a very good article for which I thank you and it is getting a discussion which I love and others should too. Don’t worry about the issues you describe.
It’s like I said before. The only thing I don’t get backlash from is the shelter bios.
The poor cat was bleeding from its nose. Don’t tell us the cat is fine and unharmed! Produce the cat and prove its ok. Several people are willing to give it the home it deserves.
Thanks Eddie.
This page also has a lot of info, including numbers to call. The Barbi twins, Shane and Sia, believe Jenny is dead. I wouldn’t doubt it and this is all a police cover up. More information is being added to this Facebook thread.
Had read that blood had been coming out of Jenny’s nose,that is a true sign of internal bleeding :O(
That’s awful Irish. I don’t know this case other than what Elisa wrote. Why wasn’t this picked up?
The Facebook Justice for Jenny page is down at this time. I haven’t heard why the profile is no longer on Facebook.
Having read the comments this whole affair smells. As you implied something is going on and the cat is coming out the worst.
It’s up:
Michael please switch out the video for this one. I think I put the wrong code in for the article. This is the correct one on the cat case. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Il4wyr-Qbk&feature=share
Sorry I took so long to do this. It is now done. The other one worked okay for me.
Oh the other video was fine. It was just the wrong one. The Tuscaloosa police had some trouble with some college students and several officers are suspended pending investigation. I sent to code for that one instead of the animal cruelty one that should have gone on it.