By Philip Newman
A grand jury has indicted a Far Rockaway man on charges of killing an adult female cat by throwing it off a third-story balcony, then stomping the animal to death in the sight of witnesses, including children, the Queens district attorney said.
“The defendant is accused of killing a defenseless cat in a cruel and vile act of brutality,” DA Richard Brown said. “Having been thrown from a third floor balcony, the cat miraculously survived the fall, only for the defendant to allegedly stomp on the cat until she was dead while onlookers – several of whom were children – looked on in horror. Such acts of aggression cannot and will not be tolerated in Queens County.”
Brown identified the defendant as Giovanni Olivo, 30, of Beach 26 Street in Far Rockaway. Olivo was arraigned Monday before Queens Supreme Court Justice Barry Kron on a three-count indictment, charging him with one count of aggravated cruelty to animals and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Olivo, who faces up to two years in prison if convicted, was released under supervision and ordered to return to court July 13.
Brown said that, according to the charges, Olivo was seen tossing a cat off the balcony and watching the feline hit the ground. Olivo is alleged to have repeatedly stomped the cat while saying “you’re dead to this world,” according to the DA.
