A former Dallas police officer accused of animal cruelty for killing a kitten while on duty said he had no qualms about his actions, according to a report by the Dallas Morning News.
According to the Dallas Morning News, court documents show that 27-year-old Jesse Coates believed what he did was right.
Coates, a trainee hired in Jan. 2020, was fired Sept. 21, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The incident occurred on Aug. 20 after police received a domestic disturbance call in the 9900 block of Bluffcreek Drive, near North Masters Drive and Bruton Road.
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According to the Dallas Morning News, when police arrived they found a kitten lying on the sidewalk near the home.
Body camera footage shows an officer pointing a flashlight at the kitten, which was about 1 month old, and asking a resident at the home what happened because the kitten appeared to be suffering.
The resident acknowledged the kitten was suffering and said her dog had gotten out, the Dallas Morning News reported.
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According to the Dallas Morning News, Coates asked the resident if she consented to him "putting down your animal [since] it appears to be dead, dying, in distress. After a conversation with the resident, she ultimately said she did not have a problem with it.
Coates then placed the kitten in a plastic bag and used both hands to squeeze and twist the kitten’s neck for about three minutes, the Dallas Morning News reported.
The Dallas Morning News reported that Coates appeared in court last week and intended to turn himself in to the Dallas County jail after police obtained an arrest warrant.
Coates faces a third-degree felony and his bail was set at $15,000, which he posted last week. He was also directed not to have any unsupervised contact with domesticated animals.
To read the full report on the Dallas Morning News website, click here.
