OKALOOSA COUNTY, FLORIDA – A Florida man is accused of an egregious act of animal cruelty which claimed the life of an innocent kitten in late November. According to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) 40-year old James Thomas Miller intentionally stepped on a woman’s kitten because it was crying.

In a news release, the authorities stated:

A Fort Walton Beach man is charged with stepping on a woman’s new kitten and killing it because he “was unhappy with it.”

According to the OCSO release, the woman told the authorities that on November 24, Miller told her that he was going to kill her kitten because it “kept crying.”

The release details what the woman said happened next:

She says she later heard a loud noise coming from upstairs and went to see what it was. She says Miller said “What did I do?” and she saw the kitten was severely injured and having convulsions.

OCSO deputies say Miller intentionally, forcefully, and unnecessarily killed the kitten, which results in a third-degree felony charge of animal cruelty.

Please add your name to the petition today. What James Thomas Miller is accused of doing is horrific and we need your help to ensure that he gets the maximum sentence for his crime. A slap-on-the-wrist plea deal is not good enough and we want the court to know that this kitten’s life mattered, and what Miller did is inexcusable!

*Individuals are presumed innocent until being found guilty in a court of law.

News:

Animal-Protection-Laws-of-Florida-2020-Animal-Legal-Defense-Fund

Link to news release from OCSO on Facebook here.

Final Update: The pretrial conference in January ended up being the sentencing. The defendant entered a plea of NOLO-Contendere. (In a criminal proceeding, a defendant may enter a plea of nolo contendere, in which the defendant does not accept or deny responsibility for the charges but agrees to accept punishment. The plea differs from a guilty plea because a “no contest” plea cannot be used against the defendant in another cause of action). He walked out with one year of probation and 24 hours of community service, along with all the fines. Probation was filed and began on Jan. 23rd. Thanks to everyone who signed the petition and helped Animal Victory fight for justice. 

Update 12/2/2022: Animal Victory has learned that the next court appearance is set for 01/09/2023 at 9:00 a.m. in FWB COURTHOUSE ANNEX EXTENSION, located at 1940 Lewis Turner Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach, Fl 32547

Update 10/5/22: The pre-trial conference is scheduled on November 14, 2022 at 9 a.m. 

Miller

Update 8/17/2022: The next court date is scheduled for September 20, 2022, at 9 a.m. for a pre-trial. Animal Victory has sent 15,267 signatures to attorney Tayler D. Sharpless.

Read Millers case docket here Miller_ James Thomas

Update 4/13/2022: Animal Victory has learned that a pretrial conference is scheduled on 05/09/2022 at 9:00 am in the FWB Courthouse Annex Extension.

Update 2/07/2022: Animal Victory has sent 14,480 signatures to Prosecuting attorney Tayler D. Sharpless. James will appear at a pre-trial conference on March 14, 2022. 2021 CF 003131 F – STATE OF FLORIDA vs. MILLER_ JAMES THOMAS