Cops: Man hanged kitten, made video

updated 11:00 a.m. ET Nov. 3, 2009

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Police are accusing a 22-year-old upstate New York man of hanging his girlfriend's four-month-old kitten with a belt and making a video of the animal struggling.

Joanne Cichy told Syracuse police she couldn't find her kitten when she returned home Halloween night after going trick-or-treating with her children.

The next day she found a video on her digital camera showing the kitten hanging from the apartment door with a belt around its neck.

Police said the video showed the kitten struggling before going motionless and Cichy's live-in boyfriend, Rascell Williams, stepping in and out of the video.

The injured kitten was later found alive under the porch.

Williams was charged with unjustifiable animal cruelty. Police did not know if he has an attorney.

More from msnbc.com FirstPerson: Reasons why readers are thankful   Slideshow: Thanksgiving around the world Elkhart Project: Money pours in, pet adoptions increase Swine flu fears for hajj pilgrims On Twitter: Breaking news updates | Weird and wild

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Killer hunted after Thanksgiving rampage Cops: Dad locks kids in trunk, goes shopping   FBI: Ex-doctor admits making pipe bombs Dad gets 3 years for stealing fire truck Arsenal found at ex-doctor's Ohio apartment Nurse anesthetist accused of abuse 4 bodies found in suburban Chicago home Anti-gang worker jailed for robbing rapper Court OKs Dec. 8 execution in Ohio Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: