In a sentencing hearing characterized more by the heartfelt than the harsh, Angel Roman, the 29-year-old Palm Coast resident who pleaded no contest to brutal acts of cruelty toward kittens, was sentenced to a year of community control and four years of probation Monday afternoon.
The offense that was committed “was a particularly bad one. It was very bad,” Flagler County Circuit Judge J. David Walsh told Roman as he stood before the bench, next to his attorney. “And these types of offenses are deemed by society to be so bad that persons that commit them likely have to go to prison for a long time.”
Back in May, Roman, who was was living with roommates at Burton Place in Palm Coast, admitted to choking a kitten two weeks earlier, accidentally, and also that he “bit the lips off one of the kittens and burnt its ear and whiskers with a lighter,” according to a police report filed at the time. But an official from Flagler and Volusia Support Services told cops that “Roman suffers from several mental illnesses and he believed that Roman needed to be Baker Acted for his safety and the safety of others.” (See the details on the case here.)
Roman was in fact Baker Acted. He was subsequently arrested and jailed on $100,000 bond, on a charge of cruelty to animals. He remained at the Flagler County jail for the last 266 days. He could have faced serious prison time. But between his history of mental issues (and arrests on more minor issues), his attorney’s plea that his mental retardation and various forms of substance abuse be considered, and the judge’s own understanding of the evidence, Roman will be spared prison time.
“Our society also has deemed that certain persons that might commit certain offenses aren’t necessarily the kind of persons that need to go to prison,” Walsh said. “The days that we put such persons in prison are long gone.” It’ is society’s responsibility, he went on, to assume the costs of certain people’s treatment. If the state fails in that responsibility, the individual should not pay through prison, in Walsh’s judgment.
Roman was sentenced to 266 days in jail, with credit for time served (that is, credit for the 266 days he served to date), but he was not let out on Monday. Walsh ordered him to remain at the jail—not as punishment, but until a suitable group home is found for him, so Roman can comply with the remaining terms of his sentence: one year of community control, and four years of probation. Community control is a stricter form of probation, when the individual must remain under strict, virtually daily supervision. In Roman’s case, Walsh wants him in a group home for the mentally disabled, where his comings and goings are strictly monitored, as is his intake of medicines.
“Certain mitigating circumstances have been established,” Walsh conceded in handing down the far more lenient sentence than he could have imposed.
glad fly says
this kook killed some kittens yet we murder,legally i might add,thousands of unborn babiers everyday. go figure. i think our system’s broken.
P. Skelt says
Indeed, there is a blurry line between mental retardation and criminal behavior.
Ben Dover says
Well he got off too easy if you ask me , he should have been sentenced to as much time in a mental institution as he the crime called for in prison , he`ll be back torturing animals in no time now, and when that don t satisfy his sick mind , kids will be next, he is the start of what every serial killer has done in the beginning of their sick criminal careers, I`m sure this is not the last we here of this sick individual. This county is famous for being too soft on career criminals and it always takes multiple offenses and someones life or rape to put them where they should have been all along
Sherry Epley says
Here again. . . where are our mental institutions? Oh Yes! I forgot again (smiling), the last and ony one in the state of Florida was closed down in 1947. Our choices: no treatment, no rehabilitation, it’s either jail or probation. Man’s (read people’s here) inhumanity! Are we really saving billions of dollars by taking no social responsibility for such tortured souls? Here again, is the money worth more than the people/families who are desperately left with no choices, no assistance, no place to turn?
Consider the possibility that if our culture cared enough to collectively create the resources to treat those that are obviously mentally ill, we could together not only bring a better quality of life to said person. . . but possibly save the pain/lives of some future victims of such tragically disturbed people. This kind of “acting out” are cries for help. . . is anyone listening?
ANONYMOUSAY says
If a person is aware their actions will result in pain or death of someone or something, regardless of mental capacity they should be punished beyond just supervised treatment this man should have been forced to undergo supervised treatment years ago, before he escalated to biting, maiming and killing helpless animals. I think this is a case of we the courts can’t afford to take care of him.
NortonSmitty says
How can you possibly compare the sadistic, painful and brutal torture of innocent living kittens by this barbaric, broken monstrosity to the unfortunate choices made by millions of desperate women throughout history? Women forced into making a heart-wrenching decision to terminate the blob of cells that may or may not gestate into a viable life form? How does your mind twist these two acts into such a flippant equality?
Initialjoe says
UGH. This is not what I wanted to hear. There are really no mental facilities for the people that don’t know the difference between right and wrong. Even then, he has to know the difference between right and wrong right? If he knows that much then he should know that it’s not good to mutilate living things.
intheknow57 says
I’m not saying this will happen, but very often folks like this move on to more serious cruelty or murder. I am not saying what he did to this kittens wasn’t horrible…just saying I hope he doesn’t up his game to start harming or killing people. He needs to be supervised 24/7. Unfortunately, this area doesn’t have the proper facilities…so I believe he should be in jail, foe everyone’s safety
Samuel Smith says
Psalms 137:9: “Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks.”
2 Kings 2:23-24: “And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.”
I don’t know what your problem is, looks like your God doesn’t have any problems at all killing babies and children.
PCfriend says
some day he will get tired of kittens and advance to babies, he needs to be away from society, an insane asylum, let him get treatment there. this guy is into killing. It sounds like he likes to kill the most innocent of creatures. I think he should suffer a punishment like anyone else. A dangerous person whether mentally ill or not should be kept away from the rest of society. Or…. put to death so we don’t have to be afraid of these crazy ass people wondering around loose!
mary says
There are some mental disorders that are better off left under total supervision…..like prison or institution. This is only the beginning for this deviate. Judge you really screwed this one up. Maybe since you feel so kindly towards him he can come stay with you. I still say we need a state animal abuse registry just like the sex abuse registry. Plaster their name and photo every where so the innocent can protect themselves and loved ones, pets def. included!
Anonymous says
An eye for an eye….Do onto others as…..
Jim Nasium says
One thing that is sure: Angel Roman is a danger to society.
He sure as heck needs help, and needs to be monitored 24/7, and should
never, ever go unsupervised.
He needs to be protected, but so do those who are his neighbors.
Angel Roman will graduate to hurting a defenseless person, as soon as he
is out of “community control.”
ANONYMOUSAY says
Every time I read this article it makes me sick to my stomach. There are people in State Prison for minor drivers license infractions and this guy along with the other repeat offenders that fall into this “I’m crazy” gray area thing keep getting off. It’s amazing the money that government spends on what they want to but let other things fall by the wayside. If this was truly about protecting local citizens and domestic animals he should be locked up. But the judicial system is showing it’s true colors now that the bank is broke. His history of violations will probably be repeated and he will placed somewhere but he is not going to be the last in this county to fall into this category. Don’t know if it’s our geographical location or what but this place is now a haven for the disillusioned, disrespectful, drugged-out and depressed, used to be such a nice place. Sad situation.
Anonymous says
I hope this Judge is held responceable when this fruit cake Kills a person.
happening now says
One more time——- What were the red flags before the final one??????
confidential says
Mr. Roman has been a problem in Palm Coast for a long time since his teen years for petty theft, drugs use and association to commit robbery in the past,as reported in the news. Sheriff deputies used to be often at their former residence in the C section since early 2000’s. I understand originally he was an adopted child, for which his adoptive parents and family should have been held responsible. He is a time bomb walking among us. He needs to be institutionalized and treated, before is too late and hurts more innocent animals, himself, others or kills somebody. He always gets free on the mentally disable technicality/reason. Until when?
jennah says
Anyone who tortures kittens must have mental issues and I’m glad he’s getting help. I know some people who suffer from it and it’s very sad.
ANONYMOUSAY says
“@ happening now says – One more time——- What were the red flags before the final one??????”
Pull up his arrest records in Flagler County and articles related to his history, if that in fact wasn’t a cynical question or comment.
ryan says
At least he will be somewhere where he cannot hurt anyone or innocent animals for a long time, and will be kept drugged and monitored, as he belongs to be. Sad how that evil can be mistaken for mentally ill. this guy knew he was hurting animals and needs to be permanently monitored by mental health officials.
If you have to go to jail for soliciting door to door, you have to go to jail for harming innocent animals.
Sherry Epley says
If I read the article correctly, this person will be monitored and receive medication in a “group home” for ony one year. There is no mention of treatment other than drugs. Then he will be “released” on probation. Since we have NO MENTAL INSTITUTIONS in the state of Florida, I suppose my only hope is that he will somehow be removed from society before tragedy is imposed on a human being by this obviously sick, sick person. Just imagine how dangerous he would be with a very easily obtained assault rifle!!
Anonymous says
Maybe the judge was merciful because he knows the truth about psychotropic drugs and that psychiatry is a sham? Our own FDA and many European governments have been forced to acknowledge the harmful side effects of these poisons, which have been documented to CAUSE psychosis. Wake up and smell the coffee, they’ve got hundreds of millions of people on this garbage. People have emotional traumas in their lives, what they need is therapy and empathy from other human beings, not drugs that will destroy them!
http://www.cchr.org/sites/default/files/International_Warnings_on_Psychiatric_Drugs_Suicide_Homicide.pdf
http://ssristories.com