3rd law student charged in beheading of exotic Vegas bird takes misdemeanor plea and gets 2 days
A third law student from the University of California-Berkeley has been charged with playing a role in the beheading death last year of an exotic bird at a casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
Hazhir Kargaran, 26, was charged with three misdemeanors in the Clark County case and pleaded no contest Wednesday to trespassing, instigating an act of cruelty to an animal and malicious destruction of property, reports the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“Although we don’t feel he ever touched the bird, he certainly encouraged the principal—Mr. Teixeira,” said District Attorney Steve Wolfson, referring to another Berkeley law student facing a felony case over the Oct. 12 incident.
Prosecutor Frank Coumou said cellphone video taken by another law student present at the scene of “horseplay” before the bird’s death led to the case against Kargaran.
In addition to serving two days in jail, Kargaran must also pay a $1,000 fine and a share of the $150 restitution for the death of a 14-year-old helmeted guinea fowl, known as Turk, at the Flamingo’s Wildlife Habitat. Although prosecutors gave his last name as Kargaran, it was listed as Kargaram on jail booking records.
Another law student previously took a misdemeanor plea in the case, and the one accused of actually killing the bird is awaiting a felony trial.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Prosecutors Charge 2 Berkeley Law Students in Bird Beheading; One Faces a Felony Case”
ABAJournal.com: “Berkeley Law Student Pleads to Animal Cruelty Misdemeanor in Death of Exotic Vegas Bird”
