Tyler Weinman Gets State Aid

Tyler Weinman, 18, is accused of mutilating and killing 19 cats. He faces 19 counts each of felony animal cruelty, 19 counts of improperly disposing of an animal body, and 4 counts of burglary. He is free on $249,000 bail and wears an electronic monitoring device to track his whereabouts.

Tyler Weinman is a high-school dropout who used to work as an aquatic sports camp counselor. He currently has no job and no money. He does however have a family who appear to be comfortable. And he does have a lawyer, defense attorney David Macey, who has been paid a $50,000 retainer fee.

The money for both the $249,000 bail and the $50,000 lawyer is coming from Tyler Weinman's grandfather, Richard Weinman.

Defense lawyer David Macey told the court that Tyler was broke and was going to need financial assistance in order to defend himself.

"This is a massive investigation, the likes I've never seen in 14 years. He's going to need help from the judicial commission to have a competent defense,'' Macey said.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge John Thornton granted David Macey's motion for assistance. The judge approved $10,000 to pay for depositions of more than 100 witnesses listed by prosecutors and an additional $2,500 for investigative costs. He also cut the daily cost of Weinman's electronic monitoring bracelet.

The state's Justice Administration Commission, which administers state funds for defendants who can't pay legal bills, objected to Weinman's request. Miami-Dade prosecutors did not raise any objections.

Weinman was arrested on Sunday 6/14/09 by Miami-Dade police on 19 counts of felony animal cruelty, 19 counts of improperly disposing of an animal body and 4 counts of burglary. For further details click the following links:

• Cat Killer Caught


• Cat Killer in Court


• Cat Killer Released on Bond


• Cat Killer AffidavRFeleased

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Cat Killer Affidavit Released

At 18-year-old Tyler Hayes Weinman's arraignment the police released the previously sealed arrest affidavit detailing why they think he murdered and mutilated 19 neighborhood cats. Although there were no eyewitnesses, the police based their suspicions on three factors:

1. Weinman's odd behavior
   


2. A cutting tool they found outside his car
   


3. His proximity to where cats were found

Weinman was not in court for his arraignment. His attorney entered a written plea of not guilty on his behalf.

"It's really important to note there is not one single witness that says Tyler Weinman touched a cat -- not one witness," said his attorney, David Macey, after the court hearing.

Weinman was arrested on Sunday 6/14/09 by Miami-Dade police on 19 counts of felony animal cruelty, 19 counts of improperly disposing of an animal body and 4 counts of burglary. For further details click the following links:

• Cat Killer Caught


• Cat Killer in Court


• Cat Killer Released on Bond.

The first 4 pages of the 10-page affidavit details the brutality with which 19 cats were mutilated and murdered. The report noted that the cats were abducted, killed in a different location and then brought back and dumped on their owners' properties.

The report also details how Weinman was stopped twice late at night and questioned about the cat killings in the neighborhood. The third encounter with Weinman resulted in him being taken in for questioning. He was pulled over for a traffic violation and police saw a "cutting instrument" on the ground outside his driver's side door and also saw a plastic bag with a gram of marijuana inside the car.

During questioning Weinman seemed to know a lot more about dissecting cats than he could have learned in school and even became excited and animated while talking about the subject. Police also noticed scratches on his neck and back; Weinman said he had received them while feeding a stray cat.

After the police had finished questioning Weinman they obtained permission to tap his cell phone and install a GPS tracking system in his car. With the GPS information, they were able to place him near two of the cat mutilation scenes.

Weinman was subsequently arrested and both his parents' houses were searched from which they removed various items including: Box cutters, several knives, hypodermic needles and a metal dental tool. They also took an iPod, computer equipment, a pair of shoes and a piece of paper that contained typed directions.

Staff Doctors from the Psychological Services Section said the person responsible for killing the cats is suffering from a Conduct Disorder and would be a Sociopath.

Weinman told police he "despises" his father and after being expelled from high school due to marijuana, said he didn't need to go to school because his "grades were off the chart." Weinman's teachers said he was troubled, frequently late and had a bad attitude.

If convicted on all charges, Weinman could face up to 158 years in prison. A trial date has not yet been set.

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Man Kills Kitten in Front of Kids

Danield John Collins, 39, an ex-navy veteran and an alcoholic can now add convicted felon to his resume. He was sentenced to 18 months in jail. Collins, who lives in Muncie, Ind., pleaded guilty to a felony count of animal cruelty and two felony counts of neglect of a dependent. In exchange, prosecutors dropped three other felony charges. What makes this case so horrible is that Collins was convicted of killing his 8-month-old tuxedo kitten, named Boots, in front of his two young kids.

It all began when the grandparents, who have custody of the two children (a 7-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy), dropped them off at their father's house for a visit. The kids arrived to find that their father was drunk. According to the kids, their father was a different person when he is drunk. At some point during the visit the father passed out. When he awoke he ordered his 11-year-old son to stab the 8-month-old kitten. He gave him a knife and told him he wanted them to learn how to kill.

When Collins left to go to the bathroom, his son hid the kitten under a sofa bed and put ketchup on the knife in hopes of fooling his father into thinking the kitten was dead. When Collins realized that the kitten wasn't dead, he searched for it and found it under the sofa bed. He then grabbed his 7-year-old daughter by the hand so "hard it ached" and still holding her hand, forced her to stab the kitten in the side.

Still not satisfied he took the knife from her and stabbed the kitten again. He then proceeded to strangle the kitten in front of the two of them. When the kitten was dead he told his son to pick it up and throw it in the garbage.

When the children returned home, they told family members what had happened. The police were called and Collins was arrested and held on $40,000 bail. The police were able to retrieve the dead kitten from the garbage as evidence. Authorities said Boots had suffered a broken leg, broken teeth, a bruised ear, a ripped lip and two stab wounds but died as a result of being strangled.

Muncie police Detective Jami Brown said the case was particularly troubling because Collins involved his children in killing the cat, an 8-month-old tuxedo type-cat named Boots. "I've been doing investigations for 10 years and this is really bothering me," the detective said.

During his sentencing Collins said he could not remember exactly what happened that day but did not try to contradict the children's story. "I am extremely sorry for what I did," Danield J. Collins said. "Everything is my responsibility."

Under the plea agreement, which sends him to jail for 18 months, Collins also must receive counseling and attend parenting classes and substance abuse treatment. The judge also prohibited Collins from owning a pet. "This is not civilized conduct," Judge Robert Barnet Jr. said as he sentenced Collins.

Deputy Prosecutor Judi Calhoun said she was outraged by the crime but agreed to the plea deal so that the children would not have to testify against their father. Defense attorney Steve Bruce said Collins, a Navy veteran, has no previous felony convictions.