Remember Nico Dauphiné? She’s the National Zoo researcher who was arrested back in May after she allegedly set out dishes of food laced with rat poison and antifreeze around her apartment on 15th Street NW to kill off the population of feral cats which lingers around Meridian Hill Park, sparking a boatload of reaction.

Yesterday, Dauphine finally had the chance to defend herself in court.

Dauphiné took the witness stand in D.C. Superior Court yesterday and denied the animal cruelty allegations leveled against her. When she was asked if she poisoned the cats, Dauphiné said “absolutely not.” Back in March, prosecutors presented evidence to the court which included a video recording of Dauphiné apparently planting something from her purse into a feeder where the feral animals were known to feed; Dauphiné argued that she was simply removing the food to deter the cats from feeding there.

Dauphiné, who conducts research at the National Zoo’s Migratory Bird Center, also contended that a presentation she wrote titled “Apocalypse Meow: Free-ranging Cats and the Destruction of American Wildlife” was taken out of context by the media after her arrest.

Superior Court Judge Truman Morrison is expected to render a verdict in the case on Monday. If found guilty of the animal cruelty charges, Dauphiné could face 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, if convicted.