Brian Kim appears in Thurston County Superior Court via video feed for a preliminary appearance on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019.
A transient level 3 Thurston County sex offender accused of abusing a cat was recently found competent to face a jury trial, Thurston County Superior Court records show.
Brian L. Kim, 49, faces one count of first-degree animal cruelty. The crime allegedly occurred on July 21. According to records, Kim’s jury trial is set for Jan. 13 with a confirmation hearing set for Jan. 2.
On Oct. 21, Judge James Dixon, with an analysis by Dr. Ray Hendrickson, found Kim competent to stand trial in accordance with a mental health report filed with the court on Oct. 12.
“Mr. Kim presents with no symptoms of mental disease or defect that significantly impair his ability to have a factual and rational understanding of the charges and court proceedings he faces,” read the report.
According to a probable cause affidavit, on July 27, a staff member at MetroPCS in Olympia contacted authorities saying Kim frequents the store and often brings a kitten with him. When he has the kitten, the employee said, Kim’s often rough with it and verbally abusive — yelling things at it like “See, nobody wants you” and “I own you.”
Additionally, he allegedly would strike the kitten’s head against a counter, slam it on the counter and ground, gnash at it with his teeth in attempts to bite it and roughly grab and squeeze it by the neck or stomach.
A deputy found a Facebook post where a woman said Kim watched her and started following her while holding a kitten, attempting to use the cat to “lure” her and asking her if she wanted to pet it, according to a probable cause affidavit. The woman ducked into a restaurant to get away from him, according to the Facebook post.
The kitten was found in Kim’s vehicle, authorities say, and it appeared lethargic, with mucus around her eyes.
“There was trash from floor to ceiling filling the entire vehicle, except for the driver’s seat. I did not locate any food or water for her. The kitten was lying motionless in the back of the vehicle among the trash and blankets. She awoke when I tapped on the glass and looked at us with her eyes half shut,” read court documents recounting a deputy’s report.
Thurston County Deputy Prosecutor Ali Abid said during a hearing that a veterinarian found the kitten likely suffered from brain swelling or a concussion.
Kim is currently in custody and has been held at the Thurston County Corrections Facility since his arrest. His bail is set at $50,000.
Kim also reportedly has a history of unspecified personality disorders, schizoid traits and low intellectual function. He’s also on the autism spectrum, but previous history shows this has not impared his ability to function.
Kim’s sex offender registration stems from a guilty plea back in 2001 to second-degree rape when, at age 29, he sexually assaulted a disabled 22-year-old man.
At the time of his arrest, Kim had recently moved from Lewis County to Thurston County.
