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Accused Cat Killer Pleads Not Guilty
By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 22, 2009
Modified Aug 22, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Aug 22, 2009
Modified Aug 22, 2009
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Sean Lynde pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed and/or tortured his ex-girlfriend's six cats over a four month period last year. Lynde, who is out on $5,000 bail, told the Post, "There are two sides to every story. Right now, we are hearing just one incredibly distorted one."
Lynde, 36, a graphic designer, faces multiple counts of felony animal cruelty. He had moved into girlfriend Rachel Strate's Upper West Side apartment last fall, and that's when the alleged abuse of State's cats began. Strate originally had cats Cleo and Zoe, but when they died, she adopted two others—Willie and Betty. When Willie was injured and Betty died, she adopted two others, Emo and Bonafide. From the Post:
Last Oct. 4, just three days after he moved into Strate's apartment, Lynde brought Cleo, 15, to a neighborhood vet dead from head trauma, including a broken jaw and bleeding eye. Three weeks later, he brought in Zoe, 12, who was unable to stand because of an unknown trauma. She had to be euthanized.
In late November, Strate returned an injured Willie to its original [owner]. Two days later, Lynde brought 3-month-old Betty to a different Upper West Side vet dead, saying she had fallen off a kitchen counter.
Emo, a 2-month-old male, suffered a mysterious broken paw in on Dec. 21 and subsequently vanished. Bonafide, also a 2-month-old male, somehow broke two vertebrae in his neck, slipped into a coma and died.
It turns out a vet contacted the ASPCA and that Emo is presumed dead (Lynde allegedly told Strate he ran away). ASPCA Assistant Director Joseph Pentangelo called the charges "chilling... It's unprecedented in recent years to see different pets abused almost on a schedule."
Strate was not charged. Yesterday, a commenter wrote, based on his/her personal knowledge, "the ex-girlfriend is falsifying all these charges as a revenge tactic. the aspca has no evidence of anything other than the word of an angry, psychotic ex... as the facts come out, this will be proven to be nothing but slanderous lies." We contacted the ASPCA for comment and information about the investigation, and Stacy Wolf, the ASPCA's Vice President & Chief Legal Counsel for Humane Law Enforcement, told us that no further details about the investigation could be shared because it's a pending criminal case. Wolf added, "It is worth noting, however, that the Grand Jury believed that there was enough evidence to indict Mr. Lynde on multiple criminal counts, including felony charges of animal cruelty. The case is now in the hands of the district attorney and The ASPCA is confident that as the evidence is presented in court in the coming months, justice will be served."
Lynde's lawyer pointed out to the Post that the cats were on shelters' euthanasia lists, "These cats all had problems. I'm completely convinced of my client's innocence." Uh, a cat's placement on a euthanasia list does not necessarily mean the cat has "problems"—sometimes, cats are put on euthanasia lists due to shelter overcrowding.
Tagged
accused cat killer
animal abuse
animal cruelty
aspca
cat
sean lynde
serial cat abuse
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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