Urbana man accused of beating cat pleads not guilty to charges

UPDATE @ 10:15 a.m. (Aug. 1)

An Urbana man accused of beating a cat so badly officers had to shoot it to stop its suffering has plead not guilty in court.

Darius Bledsoe, 69, appeared in Champaign County Municipal Court this morning on a charge of animal cruelty.

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His bond was set at $750. The judge also ordered that Bledsoe have no contact with his neighbor, to not drink alcohol and to not have live traps at his home.

Bledsoe has no previous criminal charges. His next court hearing was set for Aug. 16

FIRST REPORT (July 27) 

An Urbana man has been charged with cruelty to animals after police alleged he beat a cat so badly officers had to shoot it to stop its suffering.

Darius Bledsoe, 69, is scheduled to appear in Champaign County Municipal Court next week. Officers were called to the 200 block of West Water Street on Tuesday night on the report of a man beating a cat.

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Bledsoe told officers he had been having problems with cats damaging his front porch, according to a narrative from the Urbana Police Department. He allegedly said he thought the animal on his porch was a raccoon and was worried it was diseased, the report says.

For the full story, go to SpringfieldNewsSun.com.