The Dallas Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for a former officer who killed a cat while responding to a call last month.
Court officials said Former Dallas PD officer Jesse Coates appeared in state District Judge Brandon Birmingham’s court on Thursday, Sept. 30.
According to his warrant, Coates was accused of animal cruelty which is a third-degree felony. Court records show Coates bail was set at $15,000.
As previously reported by the Dallas Express, Coates and other Dallas PD officers responded to a domestic violence call on Aug. 21 at around 12:45 a.m. in the 9900 block of Bluffcreek Drive, near North Masters Drive and Bruton Road in Pleasant Grove. Dallas police said Coates spotted a cat in distress and killed it.
It is still unclear why the cat was in distress, and the Dallas PD has not provided additional details on the incident.
Coates, who was a trainee, was fired last week after being initially placed on administrative leave while the Dallas PD conducted internal and criminal investigations into his action. He joined the Dallas PD in January 2020.
Dallas Police said Coates failed his probation, an observational period new recruits pass through where they undergo and complete other training.
On Thursday, Joey Mongaras, Coates’ lawyer, released a statement to The Dallas Morning News where he said the warrant for his client shows the Dallas PD’s “overcorrection following actual, egregious officer scandals.”
“Mr. Coates ended a mauled, dying cat’s suffering with its owner’s consent, and he did so transparently while his body camera recorded,” Mongaras said. “He was placed in an impossible situation, and he made the most humane decision for the animal under those circumstances. We can’t wait for our day in court.”
