Berkeley law students arrested after 'decapitating and tossing around exotic bird's body at Vegas casino'

Eric Cuellar and Justin Teixeira are jailed on felony charges after witnesses said the men chased the bird into trees before returning with its severed body and laughing

Alleged attack happened at the Flamingo resort-casino



Police don't believe drugs were involved

Two law school students have been arrested after witnesses say the men decapitated an exotic bird at a Las Vegas resort and then laughed about it while tossing around its severed body.



Eric Cuellar and Justin Teixeira, both aged 24 and claimed students at the University of California, Berkley were jailed on Friday for felony charges of conspiracy and the willful, malicious torture or killing of wildlife.



'According to the security people, the men were laughing and joking about the fact of what they had done,' Sgt. John Sheahan of Metro Police told KLAS.

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Attackers: Alleged California law students Eric Cuellar and Justin Teixeira, left to right, were jailed on felony charges of conspiracy and the willful, malicious torture or killing of wildlife



Police say they don't believe drugs were involved. Neither of the men are said to be immediately speaking to police.



Police were called to the Flamingo resort-casino just after 9.30am when the 14-year-old helmeted guineafowl was witnessed being killed.

'Security had allegedly seen these men chasing the bird into a brushy treed area of that habitat and then coming out of that area with the bird in two pieces,' said Sgt Sheahan.



Witnesses also supported security's claim.



Decapitated: The large African bird was a 14-year-old helmeted guinea fowl named Turk seen on video surveillance being chased by the men into trees before emerging severed

Police scene: Police were called to the Flamingo Hotel around 9.30am on October 12 arresting the two men whom police said didn't appear to be on any drugs

The large African bird was part of the Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat, a garden area with ponds and streams that houses many types of birds.

Police say the men claimed to study at the University and had student identification cards.



Under a new state law that went into effect in 2011 animal abuse is now treated as a felony whereas the men previously would have faced misdemeanour charges.



It's not clear if they have attorneys.



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