A Massachusetts man who confessed to killing his mother and her two cats says he will change his plea to guilty, but only if the deceased cats are added to the indictment.
Matthew McAveeney, 46, made the unusual request in Woburn Superior Court on Wednesday, CBS Boston reports. He previously pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of his mother, Barbara, and cruelty to animals charges.
CLICK HERE for video.
"To my mother Barbara McAveeney and to her cats, Pumpkin and Puffy McAveeney, I apologize deeply," McAveeney said in front of news cameras as he entered the courthouse, according to WCVB.
McAveeney explained his reasoning during the hearing.
"[The indictment] does not name animals that were killed," he said. "The animals were living beings. They had lives. They had personalities. They had identities. If I am going to be convicted of killing them, I would like them to be known for what they were and who they were by their names."
The judge accepted the change to the indictment. She will decide whether to accept the plea change following a mental evaluation.
McAveeney was arrested in October, 2014, at a store parking lot in Belmont, North Carolina. He has requested to represent himself.
Like Us On Facebook |
Follow Us On Twitter |
Contact The Author