Former "spy" gets tough on elephant matters
As I was ruminating about the other day, Los Angeles is an awesome city. I've re-read this story several times and still can't figure out entirely what's going on.
Citing declarations by experts who contend the Los Angeles Zoo has a history of abusing and neglecting its elephants, actor/animal activist Robert Culp wants a judge to order the immediate closure of the pachyderm exhibit and stop work on its expansion, court papers show.
In a lawsuit filed Aug. 2 against the city and zoo director John Lewis, Culp and real estate agent Aaron Leider maintain zoo authorities have withheld medical care, kept the animals confined in a small area and used bull hooks and electric shock to control them.
The Los Angeles Zoo's elephant exhibit is currently home to a lone pachyderm -- 21-year-old Billy.
After prevailing against the city's motion in October contesting the legal sufficiency of the suit, the men now want a preliminary injunction shutting down the exhibit and stopping the ongoing construction pending trial of their lawsuit, which seeks to make both steps permanent.
A hearing is set for Feb. 6.
A guy who used to play a spy opposite Bill Cosby? A pachyderm? A real estate agent? This stuff doesn't happen in Duluth, dear readers.
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