By GINNY COOPER MCCARLEY / Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO—A former University of Montevallo student accused of killing and displaying several cats on the UM campus was granted youthful offender status during an Aug. 4 hearing, according to his attorney J. Frank Head.

Christian Todd Slaton, 20, is charged with four counts of intentional animal torture, applied for youthful offender status on June 4, 2013.

Youthful offender status will limit the length of his punishment and probation if Slaton is found guilty, and will restrict the information released to the public.

Slaton was 19 when the crimes occurred. He was arrested by UM police and charged on Nov. 6, 2012, and was subsequently suspended from the university on Oct. 21, 2012.

According to court documents, Slaton allegedly killed and “hung up for display” two cats near the flag pole in the middle of the quad at the UM; dismembered a cat found on the lawn of Flowerhill, the president’s mansion, at UM; and killed a cat later found in a wooded area near Falcon Manor Apartments in Montevallo. These incidents all allegedly occurred between Oct. 16-29, 2012.