East Toledoan charged in death of cat

6/2/2007

An East Toledo man accused of killing a cat by repeatedly slamming it against a concrete slab outside his trailer was arrested yesterday, police said.

Russell Sweeney, 46, of 2510 Consaul St., Lot 47, was charged with misdemeanor killing or injuring animals. He was booked and released from the Lucas County jail. He is scheduled for arraignment Monday in Toledo Municipal Court.

Police were sent to his address about 2:15 a.m. on a check-the-safety complaint. A witness told police that Mr. Sweeney came out of his trailer with something in his hand and, shortly thereafter, took what looked like a cat and repeatedly slammed it against the concrete until it was dead.

Mr. Sweeney then was seen entering a shed behind his trailer and closing the door.

Police saw a gray cat, which was not moving and lying in a pool of blood, to the right of Mr. Sweeney's shed.