Man Guilty; Said Cat 'Chose' Whom to Kill

Thursday, November 3, 2005

(11-03) 11:42 PST Everett, Wash. (AP) --

A man was convicted of murder after witnesses testified that he relied on his cat's behavior to decide whether the victim deserved to die.

A jury Wednesday deliberated for about three hours before convicting 40-year-old Clayton Edward Butsch of shooting Chad J. Vavricka in 2004 as the man slept in a folding chair in Butsch's trailer. Vavricka, 30, was shot twice in the head.

Prosecution witnesses, many of them drug users with criminal records, testified that Butsch said he relied on his cat, Sam, to determine who was good and who deserved to die. When Sam refused to go near the sleeping Vavricka, Butsch shot him, they said.

Butsch's lawyer argued that the witnesses framed Butsch and made up the cat story.

He faces 38 to 50 years in prison at sentencing Tuesday.


-No, he wasn't on drugs at the time...right.

That's awful

I've never trusted cats. Too clever. This poor man is the victim here.

My cat told me that this thread sucks.

Number23 said:

CarrieMpls said:

I prefered your signiture with the repeated 'b' word, but I appreciate it was too emotionally blunt and raw. I know how insincere this emoicon might seem, typed into a forum thread on a Prince website but, y'know, I mean it, sincerely.
[Edited 11/3/05 14:36pm]

Sam seems very judgmental.

2the9s said:

What is that in your avatar? I always thought it was half of a cartoon angry face poking in through half a doorway.

jerseykrs said:

oh fuck

jerseykrs said:

Number23 said:

It's a drawing by Wyndham Lewis. A "Tyro."

2the9s said:

Is a Tyro half a cartoon angry face poking in through half a doorway?

Number23 said:

Thank you.



I mean that in all sincerity, too.

Number23 said:

No. It's a young radical soldier or something like that.

Though now that you mention it, it does sort of look like a cartoon version of Jack Nicholson in The Shining.

Sam sounds like a very troubled cat.

2the9s said:

Update! The cat, still under investigation, is now on the run! He was last seen driving a beige 1999 Ford Taurus heading east out of NYC on I-80.

ReturnOfDOOK said:

Yeah, when I opened this thread, my cat looked at the computer screen and hissed.







































Nah, just teasing, it didn't happen, but it would have been funny if it did.
[Edited 11/3/05 16:50pm]

2the9s said:

It sucks.

TMPletz said:

Awww I remember Toonces, he was cute.

superspaceboy said:

Natsume said:

Oh, I read your blog. It sucks. Law and Order sucks.

*YOU* suck!!

psychodelicide said:

He's since turned to a life of crime.

TMPletz said: