WASHINGTON — A 30-year-old D.C. man pleaded guilty Wednesday to retaliating against his romantic partner by beating her cat to the point of inflicting a traumatic brain injury, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).
On Oct. 18, 2021, officers responded to an apartment, located on North Capitol Street Northwest, about a domestic violence incident. At the scene, officers found Malik Thomas, the accused in the case, hiding in a closet.
According to government evidence, Thomas told police he 'killed' the cat to retaliate against his partner for locking him out of the apartment his partner owned. He continued by stating that he picked up the cat by the neck and slammed him on a cement tile floor, before pouring old grease on the cat and throwing him in a trashcan.
Unlike what Thomas believed, the cat was found alive by police, but was severely injured and unable to walk or stand. A veterinarian examined the cat and stated that he suffered fractures to his pelvis, bleeding from the nose, hemorrhaging of the eye, effusion in the abdomen, and a traumatic brain injury.
The cat later died. The doctor said the severity of the injuries is typically seen in animals who have been struck by a vehicle.
Thomas was arrested on the day of the incident and on Sept. 7, 2022, he was sentenced to 150 days in jail for cruelty to animals, according to the DOJ.
Domestic violence victims concerned about the safety of their animals can have their service provider call the Humane Rescue Alliance 24/7 for help at 202-723-5730.