Sir Trevor McDonald's latest documentary aired on ITV earlier this week, and Death Row 2018 had viewers at home sitting on the edge of their sofas, as he visited the inmates of Indiana State Prison.
Some of the prisoners have committed heinous crimes, and made chilling confessions on the programme - one man admitted to murdering someone he had never met just because he 'felt like it'.
While many viewers at home were enthralled by the inside tour of the maximum security prison, others pointed out that it was unsettling to see cats in some of the inmates' cells...
The scenes sparked uproar on social media, and fans took to Twitter to vent their frustrations.
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"#DeathRow2018 don't get why prisoners are allowed a cat! If other inmates want to really, really hurt the prisoner, they would harm the cat. A cats life is worth more than death row," declared one viewer.
As another questioned: "Why does that man on death row have a cat in his cell he's killed children surely he's not trusted with a cat."
"Oi a man on death row has a cat in his cell and he slit the throat of a 4 year old and her mother," exclaimed a third.
While somebody else tweeted: "Why do people on death row deserve a cat? They are vile criminals why would you trust them with an innocent animal let alone a human being. Bizarre."
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Angry viewers continued to fill social media with their frustrations:
According to reports, the programme for inmates to have cats at the prison has been in place for over 20 years, and around 75 felines live in the prison.
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They each have their own ID badge, and prisoners must apply and be approved for adoption if they would like a cat. They then live with the cell mates for the entirety of the sentence.
The prisoners also buy them treats and toys, and can even pet-sit for others. The animals must be kept on a lead, though.
Featured Image Credit: ITVTopics: TV News, TV Entertainment, Cats
