Sonoma Co. Mom And Son Plead No Contest To Strangling Cat

A Santa Rosa mother and her son pleaded no contest today in Sonoma County Superior Court to animal abuse for the strangulation of their cat.

Lori Craft, 50, and Christopher Craft, 22, were drinking on June 17 at their Grand Avenue home and became angry because their male cat was spraying clothing in their home, Chief Deputy District Attorney William Brockley said.

“They strangled it with a leash and buried it in their backyard,” Brockley said.

Both were in custody but were released today by Judge Gary Medvigy after their no contest pleas, Brockley said. The Crafts face up to a year in the Sonoma County Jail under the plea agreement, but the judge indicated he might reduce the felony animal abuse charge to a misdemeanor and sentence them on Aug. 11 to probation after he has read the county probation department’s report, Brockley said.

Brockley said he opposes a reduced sentence.

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