Man acquitted in marinated cat case

Defendant’s lawyer says his client told police the cat “needed a Sunday bath” because it “got into some kitchen spices”

February 22, 2011 08:29 AM

BUFFALO, NY — A man who drew national attention after being accused of marinating his cat with plans to make a meal of the SPCA-adopted pet was cleared Thursday of animal cruelty charges.

Acting City Judge Philip M. Marshall found Gary L. Korkuc, 52, not guilty of misdemeanor animal cruelty and criticized as legally flawed the state’s century-old Agriculture and Markets Law under which he was charged. Marshall also noted police wrongly accused Korkuc of marinating the cat, named Navarro, with plans to eat it.

The case unfolded at about 7:45 p.m. Aug. 8 after Buffalo police stopped Korkuc for failing to signal as he turned onto Broadway at Memorial Drive.

Officers Jerry Guilian and John Poisson testified at the trial that, during the traffic stop, they could hear a cat meowing in the car and discovered Navarro, Korkuc’s 4-year-old cat, doused in olive oil and spices, including crushed red pepper.