(Photo courtesy of The Examiner)  Lordtyshon Garrett of Brooklyn, was arrested on charges of felony animal cruelty after allegedly beating his mother-in-law’s cat with an umbrella.

The incident occurred on October 12, after mother-in-law Deborah Bender told Garrett to get a job and move out of her place. The 186-pound man then lured Bender’s 9-pound cat into the bathroom and shut the door. Shortly after, the 4-year-old cat named Madea came out of the bathroom wet, and having difficulty breathing. Garrett then chased the cat around the apartment, poking and beating the cat with an umbrella.

  (Photo courtesy of The Examiner)  The next day Madea was taken to the vet where she had to be euthanized.

During the attack, the cat scratched and bit at the umbrella leaving it’s DNA. The DNA of Garrett was also found on the umbrella, allowing the ASPCA to link Garrett to the crime.

After the crime, Lordtyshon reportedly told relatives “It was only a cat, who cares?”

A distraught Bender described her loss. “She was more than just a cat. I’m not having any more kids, grandkids maybe, but that was my baby right there.”

Garrett’s mother and wife are both defending his innocence.

Lordtyshon Garrett was arraigned in a criminal court in Brooklyn and held in lieu of the $3500 bail.

Update 12/12/09:  Garrett, 31, was charged with felony animal cruelty, which carries a maximum two years in jail.

His wife and mother defended Garrett. "My son wouldn't do that," Garrett's mom, Juanita Reid, said. "Tyshon's likeable, everybody gets along with him. He's a joker."

ASPCA officers arrested Garrett and prosecutors laid out the chain of events that led to the cat's untimely death.

When Bender's son quizzed him, Garrett laughed and replied: "Damn, I left a smoking gun," prosecutors said.

The cat was rushed to the vet's office the next day and put down. "The injuries that caused the cat to be euthanized were caused by being beaten with an umbrella," assistant district attorney Efrat Sternberg said.

This is the ASPCA's 51st arrest for animal cruelty this year, and only the second time animal DNA evidence has been used in New York City to catch the perpetrator, officials said.

Reference:

The Examiner

Ny Daily News