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Accused Cat Kicker Misses Court Date After Getting Arrested in Virginia: DA

Bed-Stuy Man Kicks Cat in Brevoort Houses
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BROOKLYN — A man accused of kicking a cat in Bedford-Stuyvesant last year missed a Wednesday court appearance because he was arrested in Virginia on forgery charges, officials said.

Andre Robinson, 22, was arrested on May 2, 2014, when police discovered a video posted on social media showing him violently kicking a stray cat — launching the creature 8 to 10 feet into the air — inside Bed-Stuy's Brevoort Houses.

Robinson faces a misdemeanor charge for torturing and injuring animals, according to a criminal complaint.

After months of delays, a hearing was set for Wednesday, but Robinson failed to appear because he had been arrested May 12 in Staunton, Virginia, officials said.

Brooklyn Judge Curtis Farber issued a warrant for Robinson's arrest based on his absence and revoked his parole, authorities said.

For the Virginia arrest, Robinson is being charged with forgery with a credit card, a felony, officials said.

A hearing to set his bail in Virginia was scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, according to prosecutor Raymond Robertson.

Additional charges are possible, Robertson said, adding that Robinson is known for past cases of forgery in the state’s Shenandoah Valley region.

An attorney for Robinson and the assistant district attorney prosecuting the cat-kicking case declined to comment.

After the attack, King, the stray cat, was caught and adopted.

Some animal activists who attended Wednesday's hearing called for jail time.

“He’s a criminal and what he did is uncivil,” said Anita Venturi, who has shown up to Robinson’s court appearances over the past year.

Robinson has had multiple court dates regarding the cat video, and he's appeared at all of them except Wednesday's, according to the Brooklyn DA's office.

“This young boy is showing bad behavior again and again," Venturi said. "We have to use him as an example so this isn’t allowed to happen the next time.”