Case of birdwatcher who killed cat ends in mistrial

The trial of a prominent birdwatcher accused of animal cruelty for shooting a cat ended in a mistrial Friday after jurors couldn’t reach a verdict.

Jim Stevenson, founder of the Galveston Ornithological Society, has admitted he killed the cat last fall because he saw it hunting a threatened species of bird near the San Luis Bridge Pass.

If convicted, he would have faced up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The trial sparked an Internet debate between cat lovers who condemned Stevenson’s actions and birders upset by the toll feral cats take on bird species. It also raised questions about what makes an animal a pet, especially if it lives outside.

Jurors deliberated for more than eight hours before the judge declared the mistrial.

“The jury was hopelessly deadlocked, so the government has to decide if they are going to waste more of taxpayers’ money trying this again,” said Stevenson’s attorney, Tad Nelson. “But they can try this a thousand times and they will never get a guilty [verdict] because he didn’t commit a felony.”

First Assistant Dist. Atty. Joel Bennett later said prosecutors would not retry the case.

“We have gathered all the evidence that is there to be gathered, and a jury that heard all this evidence could not reach a unanimous verdict,” Bennett said. “There’s no reason to suspect another jury would be able to do so, and we’re considering the matter closed.”

When told of the decision, Nelson said he was relieved that the case wouldn’t be pursued.

The attorney said his client thought the cat was a stray. But prosecutors argued that a toll bridge worker took care of the feline and named it “Mama Cat,” effectively becoming the cat’s owner.