An Atlanta man who filmed himself kicking a cat in an Instagram video pleaded guilty to an animal cruelty charge and was sentenced Monday, authorities said.
Jamari Leon Davenport, 23, was sentenced to six months in custody followed by 240 hours of community service for the misdemeanor conviction, the Office of the Fulton County Solicitor General said in a news release.
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Fulton County Sheriff's Office
The video showed Davenport violently kicking the cat like a football outside a Chevron gas station on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in early July, AJC.com previously reported.
He turned himself in the next month after police received tips through Crime Stoppers Atlanta. He was released from jail the next day on a $3,000 bond, online jail records show.
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At the time of the arrest, the cat had not been found, meaning the extent of the injuries are unknown. Prosecutors said the cat was never located, adding that "experts opine that the cat was struck and hit the ground with such force as to have lethal consequences."
During the sentencing, Judge Jane Morrison called Davenport’s actions “performative violence done for an audience,” saying the attack warranted jail time, the release said.
Once his time in custody is over, Davenport will have to complete his community service at locations without animals or children.
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