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Teen, Who Baked Kitten In Oven, Yells "It's Dead, Bitch" At Activists
By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 16, 2009
Modified Jul 16, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jul 16, 2009
Modified Jul 16, 2009
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Yesterday, Cheyenne Cherry pleaded guilty to two charges— attempted burglary and animal cruelty—"in a six-count indictment" related to an incident where she wrecked a friend's apartment as well as baked the friend's kitten in a 500 degree oven. The Daily News explains that the 17-year-old "Cherry was granted a plea deal [from the Bronx DA's office] because her cohort was 'more culpable' for the crimes"—the co-hort, 14, admitted to putting kitten Tiger Lily in the oven in the first place while Cherry said, "I didn't let the cat out." The two teens then ran out of the apartment, so they wouldn't have to hear the cat's cries or attempts to get out.
Cherry will probably spend a year in prison. She is also barred from owning a pet for three years (how that will be enforced is anyone's guess). A number of animal rights activists were gathered outside the Bronx courthouse. The Post reports that one of those people was "Sharon Tuerlings, a Levittown mortgage saleswoman who moonlights as an animal rescuer." Tuerlings "flipped Cherry the double bird when she was exiting the courtroom," and Cherry responded by yelling, "It's dead, bitch!" referring to the kitten. Tuerlings said, "It felt good to look at her ugly face. She should have gotten a longer sentence."
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Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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