Warrant Issued for Ga. Raccoon Killing

khou.com ^

[Orange1998]

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) -- A judge issued an arrest warrant Thursday for a University of Georgia student accused of killing a raccoon that was then skinned, burned and eaten by members of his fraternity.

Judge Patricia Barron said she was disturbed by the allegations and ordered Erik Robert Zimmerman's arrest on charges of animal cruelty.

Zimmerman told police he saw the raccoon near a trash container the night of Dec. 12 and hit it with a traffic cone to scare it away. When it did not run off, Zimmerman shot the animal with a pellet gun. A fraternity brother skinned it, and another ate some of it after the meat was burned.

Animal control officer Kim Winter said Zimmerman should have contacted authorities when he saw the raccoon.

Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[Redcloak]

...after the meat was burned.

Eewww! Nothin' worse than overcooked raccoon.

[KantianBurke]

Yuck! What kind of folks eat that wild animal in this day and age? :>

[Kherghan]

They're probably mad at this kid, because he acted unilaterally, without going to the student council.

[sarasota]

I heard that there's a $40 reward for coons in some parts of the country. People pay to get them, skin them and use the pelts for....?

[R. Scott]

Most animals would run from a human.

Raccoons are a bit different. I used to have a problem with them raiding my garbage can when I lived out in the woods. Never once did I see one run from me, even when a warning shot was fired. Fortunately I had a friend who liked the meat. I never acquired a taste for it - kind of greasy.
Sounds like an activist judge attempting to change the unofficial State Cuisine.

[UncleJeff]

Coon pelts are widely used in the fur trade, as the hair takes dye well. I'm not aware of anywhere that pays a bounty on coons, but there are things I'm not aware of.

[sarasota]

Actually, I don't think it was bounty--just that a couple of locals are doing this and getting $40-$50 a coon.

[UncleJeff]

Fur prices must be up, last I knew coons were down around $10.

I don't see how an "animal cruelty" charge will stick for shooting an animal State Law specifies can be shot. No license and (probably) out-of-season makes him a poacher, and I'm pretty sure his pellet rifle is not legal for hunting small game in Georgia, plus the town may have no hunting ordinances, but animal cruelty seems off the mark.

[Khurkris]

They are clearly violating this students cultural and ethnic heritage rights. This young man is merely demostrating skills and culinary preferences acquired thru his ancestual roots.

He obviously is showing skills learned from his roots as a HillBilly. Through out history brave Hillbillies have scoured the forests and roadways stalking the elusive raccoon. This nocturnal animal has been the preferred meal of many HillBilly family units. Long have tales of familial geneolgy been related over the campfire and kitchen stove as the raccoon is rendered of its fat, boiled for tenderness and then sauteed and enjoyed with root vegatables.

Violated I say! This young man is merely continuing in a long procession of HillBilly ethinc activities. HE MUST BE FREE !!

[Born Conservative]

They kill the animal for food and then get issued arrest warrant. What am I missing here.

The possible answer is here on this thread.

Animal control officials were concerned that the raccoon might have rabies because it had been acting ''erratically'' before fraternity members killed it by beating it and shooting it with a pellet gun.

Despite the fact that they are college students, I don't think we're dealing with rocket scientists here.

They kill the animal for food and then get issued arrest warrant. What am I missing here.

[TexasRepublic]

20 years ago I used to coon hunt with a friend in southern Michigan. He sold the pelts to a local furrier. I was told there is still a market for the pelts in Europe and Asia. BTW, marinated coon tastes pretty good - proper preparation is the key to any dish.

[ErnBatavia]

[CHUCKfromCAL]

Just thought you would like to know a little about this liberal activist judge. Her bio says she has always been a government employee. She is now an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Georgia School of Law in Athens and the chief magistrate of Athens-Clarke County. Her phone number is (706) 542-7140, her fax is (706) 542-5556.

Her bio reads:

B.A., Mercer University, J.D., Georgetown University

Courses Offered: Interviewing, Negotiation and Counseling

Patricia Barron is currently the president-elect of the Western Circuit Bar Association for 2003-04.

Previously, she worked for Georgia Legal Services for 18 years, 10 of which she served as the director of the organization's Gainesville office. She has also served as the director of the University of Georgia School of Law's Family Violence Clinic. A 1979 graduate of Georgetown University Law Center, Barron earned her undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Mercer University.

[Ophiucus]

They kill the animal for food and then get issued arrest warrant. What am I missing here.

If the charge is animal cruelty for killing and skinning the critter, I hope there isn't a slaughterhouse nearby...

Besides, it was a raccoon! That's a Southern delicacy! He should use a freedom to express his heritage as a defense.

[Ophiucus]

Should say 'exterminated nuisance racoon, cleaned, and baked with a honey glaze and devoured by resourceful students.'

LOL - most funny...and a most tasty snack.

[Ophiucus]

Question: Do Racoon Cops wash their donuts before eating them?

That would explain dunking them in coffee.

[junkyarddawg]

If I remember right the the boys did have to have rabies shots. Athens is a very liberal town. This does not surprise me in the least even though it is absolutely stupid to charge this boy. The government here never ceases to amaze me.

[Orange1998]

That is funny!

[Migraine]

Yuck! What kind of folks eat that wild animal in this day and age? :>

City outdoorsmen...

[JFaron]

Have we heard from People Eating Tasty Animals (PETA) yet? I guess if they would have eaten the Racoon RAW there would have been no reason to charge them. Ya know less greenhouse gasses. Wonder what they would have done if it was a Homeless individual? They should send in the National Guard to protect the racoons, animals have rights too!!!!