Quinones had a curious defense. He hurt the parrot so he would not hit his girlfriend. He was upset after learning that his girlfriend told him that she had a beer at work. Thomas told him to leave and started throwing his stuff out the door. That is when Quinones decided to vent his anger at the parrot as a surrogate for his girlfriend. Thomas responded by punching Quinones in the face and throwing a vase at him.
It is not clear why Thomas was charged. Presumably, it was the punch in the face, though such a punch could be viewed as a response to the attack on the bird. The problem is that pets are treated as chattel under the law and, if the bird was already dead, it could be viewed as simple assault. Ironically, she is facing the more serious charges of simple assault and battery.
What do you think the proper sentence should be for Quinones if found guilty?
Source: Miami Herald