By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CENTRALIA – Centralia City Council member Bill Bates didn’t show up at court today as expected, but his lawyer came in his place, asking for a different judge and prosecutor in his client’s cat shooting case.
"Susie"
Bates, 60, is charged with killing his neighbor’s pet with a pellet gun. Bates, who is also pastor of a downtown church, has said it was an accident, he was only trying to run it out of his yard.
Centralia attorney Peter Abbarno asked a judge in Centralia Municipal Court this morning to move the case to Lewis County District Court.
“It would be a conflict, almost like prosecuting your own boss,” Abbarno said after the brief hearing. “So I think everyone in the court felt uncomfortable with that.”
The city council is responsible for hiring the city’s judge and prosecuting attorney, Abbarno said.
A substitute judge, Paul Strophy, approved the request.
Bates had been scheduled to make his plea this morning.
The Pannette family called police in late February, after Bates came knocking on their door on Ham Hill Road and confessed what he’d done. He offered to buy them a new cat.
He was subsequently charged – after a review by the city’s prosecutor – with unlawful use of an air gun and killing a pet.
Both are gross misdemeanors, punishable by up to 364 days in jail and a fine.
The incident has sparked outrage among both those who feel it was justified because the animal was on Bates’ property being a nuisance and those believe one shouldn’t use lethal force on other people’s pets.
Dusty Pannette and her family were devastated by the loss of “Susie” who had safely roamed for all 10 years of his life on Ham Hill. They were particularly stunned as Bates had not complained to them their cat was bothering him.
Centralia has no leash law for cats.
The case will be moved to Lewis County District Court, in Chehalis and Bates will appear before a judge there on April 4, according to Abbarno.
The attorney emphasized to news reporters he thought it was an unfortunate accident.
“He didn’t try to hide this, he has no criminal history, it’s not in his nature,” Abbarno said.
Bates is serving his fourth year on the city council and is minister at Destiny Christian Center, an Assemblies of God Church, on North Tower Avenue.
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For background, read:
• “Minister, city council member shoots neighbor cat dead with pellet gun” from Thursday March 1, 2012, here
• “Centralia city council member charged for killing neighbor cat” from Tuesday March 6, 2012, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter