Only meowed at her twice.
Posted on 08/23/2006 11:49:41 AM PDT by ShadowDancer
Boy Charged For Meowing At Neighbor Lady
Family Gave Cat Away After Neighbor's Complaints
POSTED: 2:26 pm EDT August 23, 2006
JEANNETTE, Pa. -- Meow. A Pennsylvania judge is being asked to decide whether that word is a harmless taunt or grounds for misdemeanor harassment.
Police have charged a 14-year-old boy with that crime. Michael Loughner is accused of meowing whenever he sees his 78-year-old neighbor, Alexandria Carasia.
The boy's family got rid of their cat after Carasia complained that it was using her flower garden as a litter box. Now, she said, the boy makes meowing sounds every time he sees her.
He said he's only meowed at her twice.
"I've had to put up with this for three years," Carasia said. "As I walk by, I see Michael and his mother. He got on the porch and hid behind the bamboo screen and starts meowing. If I don't make this stop now, they're going to keep doing this to me. I shouldn't have to worry about walking out of the house and being harassed by this young kid."
Loughner said that on July 23 he went out to hold his dog so it wouldn't leave the yard as Carasia walked by.
"She was walking through and she kept looking at us," he testified. "I grabbed the dog so it wouldn't leave the yard. When I put my head down, I meowed."
He said that was one of the two times he's ever meowed at the woman, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reported.
"As she walked in front of the house, nothing was said," the boy's mother, Sally Loughner, told the court. "He stepped off the porch to make sure the dog didn't get out. As he reached down and got the dog, he said, 'Meow.' ... She said, 'Do you want me to call the cops again?' I said, 'Go ahead, he hasn't done anything wrong.'"
There is a history of disputes between the neighbor, saccording to the paper.
Sally Loughner told the court that she ended up sending her cat to live with family members so that she could "keep peace in the neighborhood."
Defense attorney David Martin Jr. asked that the case be dropped.
"This should never have been filed," Martin said. "This is not something that police should be wasting their time with or wasting the court's time."
The judge heard from both parties Tuesday. He decided to wait 90 days before ruling, saying he'll decide what to do after seeing how the boy and his neighbor get along in the meantime.
yep
Free speech. He's on his property.
Tough cookies, old lady. Certainly you've felt "offended" before.
You forced the kid to give up his cat. He complied. Now what? Cat got your tongue?
No. Burning things is free speech unless you are burning a cross on your own property.
Should have just kept his mouth shut. At 78 years old the cranky old neighbor lady probably would not be around longer than the average housecat.
What a bitter mean old lady. Most people PAY to put crap in a flower garden. It's called FERTILIZER. It is the natural cycle of things for goodness sakes!
I hope the cat got a good home. The poor family had to relocate their pet to please this old woman? I say she's the criminal here.
I am outraged!
My client just has a speech impediment, that's all.
Where is the sensitivity and cultural understanding?
And I'm sure it's merely a reaction by his digestive system that causes the flower garden to be full of wilted flowers...
sounds like free speech to me ... heck flag burning is speech, then so is saying "meow"
I think the kid should file charges becauses she "looked at him".
What a pussy!
Awwwwwww.
I don't blame the kid. If I had lost my pet cat for this old woman's flower beds, I'd do a lot more than MEOW........
Is the 'evil eye' protected speech?
no. human speech is not 'free speech'.... just think about saying "Dear Jesus" in school. Free Speech is only for burning flags
I don't blame the old lady. Kid should have kept the cat in his on yard. But instead of going to court... she should have got her grandson "Bruno" to take care of things :)
Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say "Ni" at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land! nothing is sacred.
What if he burned a flag that had the word "MEOW" on it?
Fertilizer is good for flower beds
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