Canadian tourist convicted of animal cruelty over taking flamingo Peachy from Las Vegas hotel
Photo: The Guardian USA Canadian tourist, Mitchell Fairbarn, was convicted of animal cruelty on Monday for taking a 27-year-old flamingo named Peachy from its enclosure at the Flamingo hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Prosecutors said he hurt and frightened the bird. Surveillance footage showed him carrying the flamingo through a hotel elevator, and the bird was later found injured. Fairbarn testified that he had been drinking heavily, saying he had 30 to 40 beers, and that he did not intend any harm. His lawyer told the jury he deeply regretted the bad decisions he made while intoxicated.
Right-leaning coverage leads with the surveillance video and the bird's injury, describing the case as a drunken encounter, and its excerpt frames Fairbarn as accused. Left-leaning outlets lead with the conviction and set the prosecution's view of a malicious prank against the defense's account of drunken foolishness and regret. Alternative coverage centers on Fairbarn's own testimony about his drinking and lack of intent. All sides agree on the core facts: alcohol, the removal of the bird and the injury, differing mainly in emphasis.
How the sides differ Left sources stress the verdict and competing prosecution and defense characterizations; alternative sources stress his testimony about drinking; right sources focus on surveillance video and the bird's injury.
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Left-leaning outlets lead with the conviction, contrasting prosecutors' description of a malicious prank with the defense lawyer's account of drunken foolishness and the defendant's regret over bad decisions.
The alternative outlet leads with the guilty finding and highlights Fairbarn's own testimony that he drank 30 to 40 beers and meant no harm to the flamingo.
The right-leaning outlet emphasizes surveillance footage of Fairbarn carrying the flamingo through an elevator and the bird's later injury, calling it a drunken encounter and describing him as accused.