Owners present at hearing for accused San Jose cat killer

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Cat lovers and animal activists showed up at the Santa Clara County courthouse Monday for an accused cat killer's hearing.

San Jose resident Robert Farmer, 24, is charged with animal cruelty and other crimes related to stealing and hurting or killing cats.

VIDEO: Man accused of kidnapping, killing cats in San Jose

Most of the missing and dead cats came from the Cambrian District in San Jose, and that's where most of the crowd in the courtroom came from as well. The case was continued but that didn't stop the crowd, many of them angry, from speaking out.

Four people raised their hands when asked if someone owned a cat which was found dead. The large crowd included representatives from animal care and rescue groups.

"Cat lives matter. We're here to support all of the community," Town Cats Morgan Hill spokesperson Patricia Abreu said.

Farmer's new attorney argued he needed more time to look at the evidence and the large crowd in the courtroom was disappointed.

But Cambrian District neighbor Mike Bassi, who rescued one of the abducted cats from a tree, said he felt safe as long as Farmer was in jail.

"People can relax and not have to worry so much about somebody going out and killing pets or people," he said.

Police arrested the 24-year-old son of a former San Jose police captain earlier this month, sleeping in his car with a dead cat.

Police say he matched the description of the catnapper in a security video who snatched GoGo the Cat from a home in the Cambrian District.

VIDEO: SJ woman says video shows beloved cat stolen from yard

After ABC7 News began reporting that there may be a serial cat napper, other neighbors told us they, too, had cats missing or found dead of blunt trauma.

One cat was found in a ritualistic burial in a box, the feline wrapped in plastic with rocks piled on top.

"Animal cruelty is no exception, these are victims are just like human victims. All victims need a voice in the courtroom. Justice needs to be served," Santa Clara Co. Deputy D.A. Alexandra Ellis said.

The 24-year-old transient comes back to court in December to enter a plea.