Man sentenced for setting kitten on fire
The Delaware County man who held a kitten down and set it on fire pleaded guilty today to cruelty to animals and was sentenced.
The Delaware County man who held a kitten down and set it on fire pleaded guilty today to cruelty to animals and was sentenced.
Rishawn "Bean" Morrison, 19, of Chichester, has been held at the Delaware County jail since police arrested him on Oct. 8 in the death of Cuddles, an 8-week-old brown tabby.
Morrison appeared before Judge James F. Nilon - an admitted cat lover - in shackles and dark blue prison scrubs.
He was sentenced to six to 23 months - to be served on electronic home monitor - and credited with 46 days of confinement. In addition, Morrison received two years consecutive probation, a $1,000 fine and 64 hours of community service. He must attend counseling sessions, anger management classes and is forbidden from owning or having any unsupervised contact with domestic animals.
The sentence will allow Morrison to resume classes at Upper Chichester High School where he is a senior. He has had no prior contact with law enforcement, according to his attorney Tracie Burns.
"You better not look at a cat or dog crookedly," said Judge Nilon warning Morrison any violation or probation or parole would result in up to 2 years in jail. He called Morrison's behavior "shocking" and "disturbing."
On Oct. 3, Cuddles was found injured in an alley of the 700 block of West 5th street by Chester police. It died the next day. Witnesses told police Morrison began throwing stones at the feline and then held it down and set it on fire, according to court papers.
Contact staff writer Mari A. Schaefer at 610-892-9149 or mschaefer@phillynews.com.
