SPIGVILLE, TexasKWTX)- A Spiegleville man with a history of mental health issues held a gun to a cat’s head Friday morning during a remote court session.

Brian Andrew Bruce, 41, signed up on ZOOM to remotely attend an arson pretrial hearing in the state’s 19th District Court.

His image was broadcast on a big screen in Judge Thomas West’s trial, while Bruce’s lawyer Brian Howell entered ZOOM from his office to attend the hearing.

County officials began ZOOM hearings during the pandemic, and most judges continue this practice.

When it came time for Bruce’s pre-trial hearing, he could be seen putting a large gun to the gray cat’s head and grabbing the animal by the throat.

West noticed the unusual behavior and asked Bruce why he was holding a 9mm pistol to the cat’s head. Bruce corrected the judge by telling him it was a .45 pistol before adding that the cat was not a real cat, but a “spy cat”.

“I wouldn’t do that to a real cat,” Bruce said.

West closed the hearing after seeing Bruce’s behavior and conferred with Assistant District Attorney Will Hicks and Howell.

Hicks filed a motion to have Bruce’s bail insufficient, as Bruce is not allowed to own a firearm as a condition of bail.

Howell, in turn, filed a motion to have Bruce undergo a psychological evaluation based on his actions on Friday during the hearing.

Hicks also asked the McLennan County sheriff’s deputies to conduct a “wealth check” on Bruce.

Court officials said Friday that Bruce showed up to a previous ZOOM hearing in a bathrobe. On Friday, officials said he was charged with setting the lawn on fire, which extended to a detached garage.

Sheriff’s officials were waiting to see if Bruce’s bail was found to be insufficient on Friday night before heading to his home, and court officials appeared to be waiting for the results of a “wealth check” and possibly a psychological exam before addressing the bail situation. .

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