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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The ASPCA arrested a 17-year-old girl for killing her ex-roommate's kitten by putting the feline into an oven and leaving it to die. The Post described it as Cheyenne Cherry's "heartless attempt to get revenge on her lesbian lover." Cherry and a friend broke into the Mott Haven apartment of Valerie Hernandez, planning to trash the place. And the Daily News reports that Cherry allegedly told investigators, "I hate cats." Neighbors called the fire department, because a fire started and smoke was coming from the apartment. ASPCA Assistant Director Joseph Pentangelo said, "The kitten was burned alive, and it did not happen quickly. It was an agonizing death," adding that Cherry and the other person left soon after also slashing Hernandez's couch and stealing items, "She didn't want to hear the cat crying and scratching at the oven door... It's a shame that this kitten had to suffer like this. For the kitten to get caught up in whatever was going on with them is a tragedy." Cherry was charged with arson, burglary, criminal trespass and felony aggravated animal cruelty.
By Jen Chung in News on June 5, 2009 6:12 PM
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