21-year-old who allegedly threw kittens onto I-65 ‘a good kid with an excellent reputation,’ lawyer says
Tragically, police said, all five of the kittens were struck and killed on the interstate by other vehicles.
Ethan Parker 
The legal team for 21-year-old Thomas Ronald Liccione is pushing back after he was charged with aggravated animal cruelty regarding a disturbing incident on Interstate 65 in Homewood. Defense attorney Eli Sargent maintains that his client, who is presumed innocent, is a “good kid with an excellent reputation.”
The Incident
Thomas Ronald Liccione was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 5 p.m. last Sunday following his arrest. He was released shortly thereafter after posting a $15,000 bond. The arrest stems from a series of 911 calls received by Homewood police around 1 p.m. on Saturday, reporting that someone was throwing kittens from a moving vehicle near the Lakeshore Parkway exit of I-65.
According to Homewood police Sgt. Mark Trippe, responding officers successfully located the vehicle on Lakeshore Drive and detained Liccione. Witnesses reportedly observed the driver tossing five kittens from the window while the car was in motion. Tragically, all five animals were struck and killed by other vehicles on the interstate.
Bond Conditions and Legal Defense
As part of his release conditions, Liccione—who is employed by a Birmingham marketing firm—is currently prohibited from leaving Alabama. His defense team has filed a formal request for permission to travel to North Carolina to visit his father, who is a former federal prosecutor.
In legal filings, Sargent emphasized that Liccione has no prior criminal record, stating, “He has maintained a positive reputation among those who know him and has consistently conducted himself as a law-abiding citizen.” The defense argues that there is no evidence suggesting Liccione poses a flight risk or a danger to the community. As of now, a judge has not yet issued a ruling on the travel request as the case moves toward a day in court.
