"D-minus" Actor Killed Cat Out Of Jealousy

Prosecutors Say Man Beat Cat To Death Because His Girlfriend Loved The Cat More Than Him; He Claims Self-Defense

(CBS/AP)  A former minor league baseball player was "washed up" and had "zero income and no prospects" last year when he became jealous and killed his girlfriend's cat, a prosecutor said Monday.

Joseph Petcka, who pitched in the New York Mets' minor league system in 1992, was a "washed-up, never-made-it-to-the-big-leagues athlete" and a "D-minus" actor, prosecutor Leila Kermani told jurors during her closing argument in Petcka's aggravated animal cruelty trial.

Kermani has told jurors that Petcka brutally killed the neutered and declawed cat in a jealous fury after complaining that his girlfriend at the time, Lisa Altobelli, loved the cat more than him.

Petcka testified Friday that he was defending himself after the 8-pound orange and white tabby named Norman bit his right hand and drew blood. He said Norman lunged at him with his paws outstretched and "his teeth were bared."

His attorney, Charles Hochbaum, argued that the animal cruelty law applies only in cases where animals are intentionally tortured with a sadistic intent to injure or kill.

Altobelli said she dated Petcka for about six weeks before he killed her cat. She said they quarreled after going out the evening of March 26, 2007, and he drank heavily.

Altobelli, a Sports Illustrated reporter, testified that Petcka woke her to complain Norman had bitten him. They argued and she went out, she said, and when she returned Petcka was gone and Norman was dead.

Hochbaum admits his client overreacted, but says: "This was a tragic accident. It was not intentional."

Petcka also appeared in a paper towel commercial and had small roles in "Sex and the City" and other television shows. He more recently worked as a bartender and waiter.

[daiseylu]

I said it before, I will say it again,,#!. This is a story of a cat being killed by an adult, man, who claims the animal bit him, which I doubt, the man had previously abused the cat and riled him up,,this man is sick, I believe, he has an uncontrollable temper,,that is dangerous, she is an airhead,,why would you walk out and leave your cat alone in your apartment with him, why didn''t she kick the guy out, her cat would still be here,,they say he might get 2 years, I will cheer that one, the jerk..Daisey

[summarex]

I can think of someone else who could use some counceling.


Chop off his balls and feed the rest of him to hungry lions. That would fit the crime! The girl ? friend needs mental health counciling because she had to have known this guy was a creep!

[summarex]

That''s one Norman conquest that will never happen!

[ldnearthesea]

What a coward this person is! I do not care if it is a cat or not, it''s a life! Just think, there''s a man on death row in Georgia who is probably innocent, and all appeals have been used up, so he''s going to be put to death for a crime he proably didn''t commit. The cat tried to bite this guy? It wasn''t a cougar, for crissakes!. This country is full of sadists and psychopaths! We have a presidential policy of "pre-emptive" war, and Bush has and will never apologize for starting a war for no reason. No leadership at the top, so citizens and children take their cue from the top: no accountability, no morality, no integrity! I am a male who has a 13 year old cat, a cat I''ve taken care of for nearly eight years, and if anyone tried to harm him, I''d prosecute and want to see that person thrown in jail!

[blackyowe]

Chop off his balls and feed the rest of him to hungry lions. That would fit the crime! The girl friend needs mental health counciling because she had to have known this guy was a creep!

[erasmus81]

"But wait - then suddenly they hear about a brainless animal being harmed..." Posted by curlzz at 12:18 PM : Sep 23, 2008

I think it''s you that''s brainless. I bet that cat had more brains than you.

"I think I love you."
Posted by mjm117 at 12:23 PM : Sep 23, 2008

"We should get together sometime..." Posted by curlzz at 12:26 PM : Sep 23, 2008

Yeah, I think the two of you would make a good couple.
You are both braindead.

[erasmus81]

"It is normal human nature to react as such to a situation in which you are being caused pain and being attacked - whether it''''s by another human or an animal."

Posted by curlzz at 12:09 PM : Sep 23, 2008

So what you are saying is, that if your little girl or boy bites you, scratches you, or pulls your hair, you are going to kick them across the room?

Sounds like you are a loser, just like mjm.

[bizzybirdy]

So many people out there have their priorities seriously out of whack LIKE YOU! I never read so much hatred coming out of you people against a defenseless cat. This guy should be beaten to an inch of death so he can feel what this cat did before it died. Don''t you think this poor cat had feelings? Only sociopaths can hate/hurt a pet animal! He was a nut case trying to get back at his girlfriend plain and simple, and took it out on the poor cat. Am glad it delivered at least one bite, should have bitten his finger off. Most killers of humans start with animals....Unfortunately I bet he doesn''t get much punishment through the court system.

[curlzz-2009]

I think I love you.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mjm117 at 12:23 PM : Sep 23, 2008


We should get together sometime for some herbal tea and talk about news that is actually worth our time.

[mjm117]

So many people out there have their priorities seriously out of whack.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by curlzz at 12:18 PM : Sep 23, 2008


I think I love you.

[curlzz-2009]

THANK GOD for another normal human being on this site. I am so sick of all these man hating lesbians and old lonely women with 23 cats.

IT''''S A CAT, no one cares.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by mjm117 at 12:11 PM : Sep 23, 2008
+ report abuse


Thank you MJM. It''s so true. If this same situation was going on involving a human, there would be 300 less comments on this article. Most people would just chalk it up to another human being harmed or attacked and go about their lives stroking the fur of their cats all day while sipping their morning herbal tea. But wait - then suddenly they hear about a brainless animal being harmed and they go into critique overdrive to state their opinions that no one else really cares about except the other tea drinking, animal rights freaks out there.

So many people out there have their priorities seriously out of whack.

[mjm117]

If I was being bit by an animal, 2 lbs or 8, I would kick it across the floor myself. It is normal human nature to react as such to a situation in which you are being caused pain and being attacked - whether it''''s by another human or an animal.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by curlzz at 12:09 PM : Sep 23, 2008


THANK GOD for another normal human being on this site. I am so sick of all these man hating lesbians and old lonely women with 23 cats.

IT''S A CAT, no one cares.

[curlzz-2009]

If I was being bit by an animal, 2 lbs or 8, I would kick it across the floor myself. It is normal human nature to react as such to a situation in which you are being caused pain and being attacked - whether it''s by another human or an animal.

[mjm117]

An eight pound, neutered, declawed cat??? Self defense??? Give me a break...PLEASE!

Petcka needs to learn a lesson from Michael Vick, who also lied when he first got caught...Both have had their chance to lie, Vick finally owned up and told the truth...NEXT??!




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by tireslinger at 11:33 AM : Sep 23, 2008


Cause neutered has anything to do with it. Or maybe it does...maybe the cat was pissed off and decided to attack this innocent, helpless man.

[tireslinger]

An eight pound, neutered, declawed cat??? Self defense??? Give me a break...PLEASE!

Petcka needs to learn a lesson from Michael Vick, who also lied when he first got caught...Both have had their chance to lie, Vick finally owned up and told the truth...NEXT??!

[mjm117]

the tolerance threshold for a male to murder, kill, rape or abuse anything, is soooo ******* high (reflected globally in particular) that a cat is just seen as: "oh well, it was just a cat...what''''s the big deal with all these cat lovers...etc." it is simply beyond people/women to connect that ''''nice handsome neighbor'''' with someone who has dangerous emotional problems. it''''s like the goddanm incredible hulk don''''t have to turn green anymore to flip out.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by silverStar06 at 06:19 AM : Sep 23, 2008

Jesus...I can picture you now, sitting there listening to your Tori Amos CD...

[babooph]

Seems he & the cat were alone-glad I am not on the jury.

[myopinion1]

Animal abuse is always a precursor of female/child abuse. Watch this man closely.

Posted by mtmaidj at 06:31 AM

Diagnosing people without the benefit of a degree and making wild assumptions about future behavior of people makes you look like an a&&. Watch this loser closely.

The man didn''t like cats and his girlfriend was getting on his nerves. He snapped and killed the cat. All obvious stuff. Put him in jail, make him pay for what he''s done. Have him work in an animal shelter (no kill) for 6 months with no pay.

If you have ever been to the orient you will notice no stray dogs or cats.

[mtmaidj]

Animal abuse is always a precursor of female/child abuse. Watch this man closely.