Taylorsville man accused of killing kitten

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TAYLORSVILLE — A Taylorsville man is accused of killing his 5-month-old kitten.

Shaun Clifford Jaussi, 38, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with torture of a companion animal, a third-degree felony; dangerous weapon conduct, a class A misdemeanor; and interfering with police, a class B misdemeanor.

On Sept. 29, Taylorsville police were called to Jaussi's apartment, near 4300 South and 1100 West, after it was reported that he had possibly killed his kitten, according to charging documents. The charges do not say who made the report.

When officers arrived, they saw a kitten that appeared to be deceased in Jaussi's open garage, according to charging documents. They said he walked out and told them he was training the kitten, then picked it up and carried it inside.

Police said Jaussi walked back out and stood in the doorway of his garage, holding a box cutter, a lighter and later a knife, and told officers to come inside and "smoke" him.

Officers used a Taser on Jaussi and arrested him. He was then taken to a local hospital and involuntarily committed on a psychiatric hold, the charges state.

An autopsy determined the kitten was killed by blunt force trauma. When questioned about how the trauma occurred, Jaussi told police it was "like a knock on the head or something," according to the charges. He also said he did not remember, but added, "a knock seems familiar," according to the charges.

"Jaussi said if it was head trauma that killed the cat, that was likely what happened," the charges state.

Taylorsville police say Jaussi has shown "an ongoing pattern of disturbance affecting the residential community as the Taylorsville Police Department has responded to 29 complaints involving Jaussi," according to the charges.