Gurnee man found not guilty of shooting cat

A Gurnee man accused of shooting a neighborhood cat more than two years ago was found not guilty Tuesday at the end of the state's case against him.

Circuit Judge Victoria Rossetti said that even if she believed Sean Hand told a neighbor he did shoot Joshua the cat on July 9, 2005, there was nothing to prove Hand was telling the truth.

"A crime can not be proven based on a confession alone," Rossetti said in granting a defense motion for a directed verdict of not guilty.

"There must be independent corroborating evidence of the crime, and in this case, I cannot find any such evidence exists."

Hand, 42, of 3409 Florida Ave., was charged with animal cruelty, animal torture and criminal damage to property in the shooting and wounding of the cat.

Waukegan attorney Barry Boches did not dispute that the cat had been shot, but argued that no one testified they saw Hand do it, and there had not even been any evidence Hand was at home at the time of the incident.

"We all had faith in the justice system," Boches said. "We were aware from day one there was no corroboration, and we are pleased that the judge saw it that way."