Lewis the cat, a six-toed Connecticut feline accused by neighbors of terrorizing them, has been spared a death sentence by a judge.
On Tuesday, June 21, judge Patrick Carroll ordered that Lewis stay inside the home of his owner, Ruth Cisero of Fairfield, Conn., at all times.
There are no exceptions. None, the judge said during the hearing.
Cisero had faced a reckless endangerment charge after neighbors complained that the cats long claws, extra toe on each paw and stealth helped him attack at least a half-dozen people near Ciseros home.
Cisero rejected an offer in an April hearing of a short probationary period if she agreed to have Lewis euthanized. Instead, she pleaded not guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment last month.
During the past two months, Lewis case drew national attention, and he became something of a celebrity; he appeared in People magazine and was the focus of a MySpace.com webpage.
Posted: June 21, 2006, 5:00 a.m. EST