jon_berzerk
Platinum Member
- Mar 5, 2013
- 31,401
- 7,369
- 1,130
animal rights extremists forced to pay settlement
to feld entertainment
lawyers for The Humane Society bribed a former circus employee
to lie that Feld abused elephants in its circus
-------------
A settlement reached between animal rights groups and the producers of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of making an allegation in federal court that you have trouble backing up.
The Humane Society of the United States and other animal-rights groups have paid Feld Entertainment a combined $15.75 million to settle allegations by the company that the groups and their lawyers bribed a former circus employee to make up allegations that Feld abused Asian elephants in its circus.
The settlement announced Thursday puts to rest what a federal judge and legal observers described as an extraordinary, 14-year legal battle that began with claims of animal abuse but developed into a costly embarrassment for some of the nations leading animal rights organizations.
The two sides reached a deal as discovery was ramping up in Felds civil racketeering case against the groups.
Feld brought the case after it emerged that animal rights groups had paid close to $200,000 to Tom Rider, a former elephant cleaner and feeder who claimed the company had abused its elephants in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
Animal Rights Groups Pay Circus Producer Millions to Settle Suit - Law Blog - WSJ
to feld entertainment
lawyers for The Humane Society bribed a former circus employee
to lie that Feld abused elephants in its circus
-------------
A settlement reached between animal rights groups and the producers of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of making an allegation in federal court that you have trouble backing up.
The Humane Society of the United States and other animal-rights groups have paid Feld Entertainment a combined $15.75 million to settle allegations by the company that the groups and their lawyers bribed a former circus employee to make up allegations that Feld abused Asian elephants in its circus.
The settlement announced Thursday puts to rest what a federal judge and legal observers described as an extraordinary, 14-year legal battle that began with claims of animal abuse but developed into a costly embarrassment for some of the nations leading animal rights organizations.
The two sides reached a deal as discovery was ramping up in Felds civil racketeering case against the groups.
Feld brought the case after it emerged that animal rights groups had paid close to $200,000 to Tom Rider, a former elephant cleaner and feeder who claimed the company had abused its elephants in violation of the Endangered Species Act.
Animal Rights Groups Pay Circus Producer Millions to Settle Suit - Law Blog - WSJ
