Actor Accused Of Killing Girlfriend's Cat

"Jealous And Drunken Bully" Beat Defenseless Animal To Death, NYC Prosecutor Says

(CBS/AP)  A trial has begun in the case of a baseball player-turned-actor accused of brutally killing a cat in a jealous rage after complaining that his ex-girlfriend cared more for the feline than she did for him.

Assistant District Attorney Leila Kermani said the cat named Norman died with broken teeth, broken ribs, a broken leg, a torn tongue, massive internal injuries including bruised lungs and a bruised liver and a chest cavity filled with blood.

"The defendant, in a fit of anger and rage, beat a defenseless animal to death," Kermani told the jury in her opening remarks Wednesday. "The defendant killed Norman simply because he was an angry, jealous and drunken bully."

Former New York Mets baseball minor leaguer Joseph Petcka, 37, is on trial on charges of aggravated cruelty to animals for killing Norman on March 27, 2007, after a night of heavy drinking. He faces up to two years in prison if convicted.

Petcka's lawyer, Charles Hochbaum, admitted his client kicked the 8-year-old tabby and "swatted him really hard" after the cat bit him, but he said his client did not mean to kill him.

"This was a tragic accident," Hochbaum said. "It was not intentional."

Hochbaum complained the district attorney's office never offered his client a plea deal. He said outside court he believes that was because of the publicity the case attracted and the urgings of cat fanciers.

Norman's owner, Lisa Altobelli, testified she had dated Petcka about six weeks before he killed her cat. She said one night they quarreled and he began drinking heavily. She said she went to bed to avoid him but he woke her around 3 a.m. by putting his knee in her ribs and complaining that Norman had attacked him.

Altobelli, a Sports Illustrated reporter, said she left the apartment after Petcka refused to calm down.

She said Petcka had complained, "You love that cat more than you love me," but she had no idea Norman would be in danger. When she returned home Norman did not meet her at the door as usual. She found his body under her bedside table.

Petcka, a pitcher briefly in the Mets' minor league system in 1992, later appeared in a paper towel commercial and had small roles in "Sex and the City" and other television shows. Hochbaum said his client had more recently worked as a bartender and waiter.

The former minor leaguer, a hulking 6-foot-3, 205 pound man rejected a plea offer from the Manhattan District Attorney's office in Dec. 2007. The deal would have allowed him to serve only three months in jail, but Petcka decided to take his chances at trial.

Before the trial began, The New York Post reported that Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Obus was getting numerous phone calls letters from animal lovers dismissing Petcka's claim of self-defense, noting that it's ludicrous to believe that a 205-pound man was threatened by a 7-pound feline. Some even called the courtroom demanding his death by hanging, the Post reported.

A thread on a message board on the Internet Movie Database, where Petcka's acting credits are listed, is populated with cat lovers wishing Petcka bad luck at his trial. One poster on that board wrote "Norman was more of a man than he will ever be!"

[curlzz-2009]

I would bet a million cats that his girlfriend was not very nice to him which lead him to act out in such ways.

[blackyowe]

You have to wonder what kind of person could do this. It''s so far out and sick. I would not want to live anywhere near this man. There must be allot more to this story. The girlfriend must have seen signs he was really controlling and evil.

[pootums]

I know I will NEVER pay money to see this so-called actor in any films where he is employed. What a WICKED PERSON! I hope animal rights groups picket him with great ferver! Joseph Petcka should change his name to take the "PET" out of his last name as he is nothing more than a disgusting human being.

[akpals]

I think it''s really sad that people kick the *** out of their little kids every day, and it goes unreported. When some guy kils a cat, there''s a big article on it. I''m not saying he shouldn''t be punished, but it''s sad that a cat''s murder causes a huge upset and a child''s abuse often goes unnoticed.

[missy6000]

so brutal a way to hurt a poor innocent 7 lb. kitten.
He deserves to be beaten the same way, senseless...
If more people felt what they inflicted they may think twice about ever doing it again.

[bequialife]

6 weeks doesn''t classify as boyfriend/girlfriend..

[erasmus81]

"String him up by the ballss."

Posted by aggiekat2004 at 12:55 PM : Sep 19, 2008

Now see, aggie has the right idea.

[erasmus81]

"Anyone that hurts an animal should be shot.....AFTER they suffer, like the animal had to.

Posted by erasmus81 at 01:59 PM : Sep 18, 2008"

You''''re kidding right? I mean...I don''''t condone what this guy did but wow...shot?

Posted by NavyRetired2 at 08:07 AM : Sep 19, 2008


Of course I''m kidding! I''m totally against guns.:)
But I ain''t kidding about making him SUFFER, like he did the cat.

[aggiekat2004]

String him up by the ballss.

What an ASSSS!

[observer2020]

If that was my cat, he would not have made it to Court!!
Posted by ladyephesus1
Agreed. However, I would have never left the apartment in the first place--he would have had to leave and the cat would have stayed, as it should be. I would never leave my cats unprotected. Love me, love my cats--otherwise, hit the road Jack!

[mydiatribe]

Hard to say who is the bigger loser IS here: this Petcka character who is claiming self-defense OR the Editor who decided to publish this stupid story or is it ME for reading this NONSENSE!

[tootall10142]

THE MORE I GET TO KNOW PEOPLE THE MORE I LOVE MY ANIMALS.------ A SOCIETY CAN BE JUDGED BY HOW THEY TREAT THIER ANIMALS. GHANDI 1963.

[usmcvn1]

How ''bout if all drug dealers, rapists, murderers, ect., ect., are shot!

[winnerindia]

Actor was a craZy man to kill the poor creature! I am strictly against killing any animal be it a snake or a lion.
If you see a snake, capture it and leave it in the jungle.

[welshwoman-2009]

So the real question is why has this individual and his mental illness not be dealt with to this point. Lots of people know he has problems I guarantee it. So we need something in the system to allow intervention and treatment. Stop criticizing and start helping with this mess. Chances are you know people like this in your own circle!

[ladyephesus1]

If that was my cat, he would not have made it to Court!!

[dsr57]

I can barely contain myself with this horror and grief. You moronic idiots who think that killing a domestic critter is cute....i almost wish you could suffer the same fate.

CarlyLaine
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Wow ! ! You Have Issues ! ! ! !

[dsr57]

I can barely contain myself with this horror and grief. You moronic idiots who think that killing a domestic critter is cute....i almost wish you could suffer the same fate.

CarlyLaine
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Wow ! ! You Have Issues ! ! ! !

[dsr57]

Well here is one cat lover! I''''ve had several cats in my lifetime. The last one that I had lived nearly 20 years and she was my best friend! I can tell you one thing that if anyone hurt any of my pets they would have had to walk over me to do it! I don''''t have any pets at the moment but when I do get another pet ANYONE NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE will have to accept and love my pet if they want to be around me! I hope this guy hears this poor little cat''''s cries every night in his sleep! I also hope he receives the maximum sentence allowed by law and has to serve every minute of it.


Posted by carlyonsue

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HA HA HA CAT LADY.... I bet you smell like Moth balls, shame and wet leather ha ha ha ha

[dsr57]

HA HA HA HA HA HA OH MY GOD ! ! !! Broken teeth????? Jesus dude. After reading that, I''m surprised that he didn''t tear off it''s head and dance in circles with it''s lifeless body.