PALM BAY, FL (WKMG/CNN) - An 88-year-old man was arrested after police said he burned a raccoon alive.
"88-years-old, first time I ever have to go to jail. I never thought about killing nobody in my lifetime. No man, no woman, no kid," said Ezra James.
James posted a $2,000 bond and described planning to kill the animal for eating his mangoes.
James also said he wanted to prevent the raccoon from biting him and giving him rabies.
"I throw some gasoline on him and light a match," James said.
Moments later, as the raccoon burned alive in a metal trap, a neighbor called 911, James said.
James is still mad at the neighbor’s actions.
"She's a wicked woman," James said.
James is originally from Jamaica and says he did not know authorities would have humanely euthanized the raccoon.
When police got there Friday morning, James watched an officer shoot the raccoon to put it out of its misery.
"Two (police) shot and kill the raccoon," he said.
He may now have to explain his actions to some disturbed neighbors.
"I never would have believed he would have done that," said Nancy Gill, a neighbor.
James and Gill have been neighbors for 20 years.
"I sure hope he thinks about it because God don't want us to do stuff like this," she said.
"I'm not going to catch no more because I learned my lesson," James said. "No, I'm done with that."
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