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American Morning

Cat Killings

Aired July 02, 2003 - 08:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: So who could be behind these gruesome crimes? Could it perhaps lead to other forms of violence?
Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis, a professor of psychiatry at Yale University is an expert in this field, and an author of a book called "Guilty by Reason of Insanity."

She joins us now live from New Haven. Good to have you with us.

DR. DOROTHY OTNOW LEWIS, YALE UNIV.: Good to be here.

O'BRIEN: First of all, the fact that we've seen this happen in two Western states, do you have the sense that these are linked, or is this a copycat case?

LEWIS: That's a very difficult question to answer because, as I understand it, the case in salt lake city was, I think, about a year ago, and now maybe it's simultaneous. But I think it started quite awhile back, whereas things have escalated tremendously in Aurora, if I'm not mistaken, is that true?

O'BRIEN: Yeah, I think that's pretty much right on. It's hard to say, then, I suppose.

JENSEN: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Who's doing what when.

JENSEN: I think what's interesting is that as I understand it, some of these animals have been eviscerated, and in one case, there actually had been a surgical-like hole in the cat, and the innards of the cat had been extracted.

Now, this is truly bizarre behavior, and it's, you know, many, many children torture animals. But this kind of behavior verges on the psychotic.

O'BRIEN: Well, let's -- and without -- it is a breakfast audience, we've got to be cognizant of.

LEWIS: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Does that lead you to believe that there's some sort of strange ritual associated with this, or is this for the pleasure, if you will, of doing that?

LEWIS: The pleasure with a lot of the kids that do this seem to be in doing unto others what was done to them. In studies that we've done, we have found that among children who have been horribly, physically and or sexually abused and have witnessed extreme violence, that you do get this kind of torture of animals. The evisceration certainly has a cult-like quality. You have to think of the ancient Egyptians that worshipped cats and also that did put entrails in canophic (ph) jars. So you wonder whoever is doing this is performing some combination of something ritualistic and also enjoys torturing small pets.

O'BRIEN: All right. I suppose a lot depends on which is correct based on your last answer, but do you have the sense that whoever might be responsible for this might be on a path toward inflicting pain or harm on human beings?

LEWIS: Most children who harm animals do not go on to become serial killers. However, in the history of many murders, not necessarily serial killers, you do get a history of torturing animals, and when you talk to some of these individuals, you know, they'll say something like, "Well, it was better than hurting someone, wasn't it?" I think that the connection between child abuse and the torturing of animals has not really been appreciated, and that when you do see a child that you know has been torturing animals, instead of just assuming, this child is born to be a serial killer, one should think, what is going on in this family that is making this child torture pets? And nine out of 10 times, I think you will find that there is a family where abuse is going on, and there is an opportunity to prevent later violence.

O'BRIEN: Dr. Lewis, thank you for your time. Dorothy Otnow Lewis is a professor of psychiatry at Yale University.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired July 2, 2003 - 08:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: So who could be behind these gruesome crimes? Could it perhaps lead to other forms of violence?
Dr. Dorothy Otnow Lewis, a professor of psychiatry at Yale University is an expert in this field, and an author of a book called "Guilty by Reason of Insanity."

She joins us now live from New Haven. Good to have you with us.

DR. DOROTHY OTNOW LEWIS, YALE UNIV.: Good to be here.

O'BRIEN: First of all, the fact that we've seen this happen in two Western states, do you have the sense that these are linked, or is this a copycat case?

LEWIS: That's a very difficult question to answer because, as I understand it, the case in salt lake city was, I think, about a year ago, and now maybe it's simultaneous. But I think it started quite awhile back, whereas things have escalated tremendously in Aurora, if I'm not mistaken, is that true?

O'BRIEN: Yeah, I think that's pretty much right on. It's hard to say, then, I suppose.

JENSEN: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Who's doing what when.

JENSEN: I think what's interesting is that as I understand it, some of these animals have been eviscerated, and in one case, there actually had been a surgical-like hole in the cat, and the innards of the cat had been extracted.

Now, this is truly bizarre behavior, and it's, you know, many, many children torture animals. But this kind of behavior verges on the psychotic.

O'BRIEN: Well, let's -- and without -- it is a breakfast audience, we've got to be cognizant of.

LEWIS: Yes.

O'BRIEN: Does that lead you to believe that there's some sort of strange ritual associated with this, or is this for the pleasure, if you will, of doing that?

LEWIS: The pleasure with a lot of the kids that do this seem to be in doing unto others what was done to them. In studies that we've done, we have found that among children who have been horribly, physically and or sexually abused and have witnessed extreme violence, that you do get this kind of torture of animals. The evisceration certainly has a cult-like quality. You have to think of the ancient Egyptians that worshipped cats and also that did put entrails in canophic (ph) jars. So you wonder whoever is doing this is performing some combination of something ritualistic and also enjoys torturing small pets.

O'BRIEN: All right. I suppose a lot depends on which is correct based on your last answer, but do you have the sense that whoever might be responsible for this might be on a path toward inflicting pain or harm on human beings?

LEWIS: Most children who harm animals do not go on to become serial killers. However, in the history of many murders, not necessarily serial killers, you do get a history of torturing animals, and when you talk to some of these individuals, you know, they'll say something like, "Well, it was better than hurting someone, wasn't it?" I think that the connection between child abuse and the torturing of animals has not really been appreciated, and that when you do see a child that you know has been torturing animals, instead of just assuming, this child is born to be a serial killer, one should think, what is going on in this family that is making this child torture pets? And nine out of 10 times, I think you will find that there is a family where abuse is going on, and there is an opportunity to prevent later violence.

O'BRIEN: Dr. Lewis, thank you for your time. Dorothy Otnow Lewis is a professor of psychiatry at Yale University.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com