Bird Beheading: A University of California Berkley Law School graduate who drunkenly beheaded exotic bird in front of breakfast diners at Las Vegas hotel escaped a jail sentence, but was sentenced to six months serving in a prison boot camp.
According to the Associated Press, Justin Alexander Teixeira, 25, will serve a six-month sentence at a prison boot camp at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs outside Las Vegas. Upon successful completion of the program and three to five years of probation, his felony charge could be reduced to a misdemeanor.
The AP went on to report that security video showed Teixeira and two others — also fellow law students — laughing and chasing a Helmeted Guinea Fowl, a chicken-sized bird, around the Flamingo Hotel’s Wildlife Habitat on Oct. 12, 2012. In full view of diners having breakfast, Teixeira wrung the bird’s neck, and tossed the body one way and the head into nearby rocks.
Teixeira’s law career hinged on successfully completing the boot camp program, which he did, and the accompanying probation period. If the felony charge remained on his record, he could be held back from being accepted to the California bar and allowed to practice law.
The Las Vegas Sun reported that defense attorney Michael Pariente told Clark County District Court Judge Stefany Miley that Teixeira received top honors in the program. Teixeira also learned during his boot camp time that he had passed the California bar exam.
Whether Teixeira will be able to practice law could depend on whether he can get his sentence reduced to a misdemeanor after completing probation. A statement on theCalifornia bar website allows room for a pardon for a showing of “overwhelming reform and rehabilitation.”
Pariente sought a lenient sentence of 18 months’ probation for Teixeira. Pariente told Judge Miley that Teixeira’s name would be forever linked with animal abuse, and the incident would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Judge Miley, however, came down hard with her sentence. She told Teixeira his animal shelter commitment will last as long as his probation, regardless of other employment or school enrollment.
Since the incident and sentencing Teixeira has worked in a variety of roles at a variety of places of employment, including as a Law Clerk at the US Department of Justice, a summer associate at Wilmerhale, an international law firm; a content developer at Draper University, a media analyst, a marketing manager; and most recently as vice president of marketing at JPMorgan Chase & Co in London.