Law students charged in Vegas bird beheading case
December 27, 2012 - 11:59 am
Prosecutors have filed charges against two University of California, Berkeley law school students accused in the death and decapitation of an exotic bird at a Las Vegas resort attraction.
Twenty-four-year-old Justin Teixeira was charged Thursday with felony killing of another person's animal and other torture and cruelty counts. Twenty-four-year-old Eric Cuellar was charged with misdemeanor instigating or engaging in animal cruelty.
Police said the two men were seen Oct. 12 laughing and throwing around the body of a dead, 14-year-old helmeted guineafowl at the Flamingo. The large bird, named Turk, was part of the Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat, a garden area with ponds and streams that houses many types of birds.
The men were released on bond after their arrest and are scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 11.