Bird Fighting Defendants Seek Deal

The nineteen men who were arrested for their alleged involvement in a Connecticut bird-fighting enterprise will appear in court this week where they hope to plea down to an accelerated rehabilitation probation program that could result in the charges against the men being dismissed.

On July 26 the Connecticut state Department of Agriculture seized 150 birds from a house in Shelton, Conn. The majority of the birds were saffron finches with a few canaries. The birds were seized after the nineteen men charged in the case waived their right to ownership.

The nineteen men are from Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey, but are all originally from Brazil. They have been charged with cruelty to animals and gambling.

To read the Associated Press article on this story click here.

Posted: 08/31/09