A Chicago man who pleaded guilty to torturing and killing kittens was released from prison after one day into his four-and-a-half-year sentence.
Last month, Thomas Martel, 25, pleaded guilty to animal torture and aggravated cruelty to animals after prosecutors argued he severely harmed and killed multiple kittens at his Wicker Park apartment in 2003. Law enforcement alleges that he drowned, mutilated, and even microwaved the kittens.
Neighbors are already petitioning against his release and sending flyers around town warning pet owners about his conviction, as an animal rights advocacy organization prepares to launch in direct response to the high-profile local case.
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Martel was sentenced by a Cook County judge to four-and-a-half years in prison. Court records indicate, however, that he earned more than 1,000 days’ worth of credit for wearing an electronic monitor ahead of his trial…