First I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable Memorial Day.
Can I also suggest that if you see a service person in the next several days you take the opportunity to THANK them for their service to our Country.
They are in fact what keeps us free and protects us.
I’m sure you are aware that a few days ago, the Cincinnati Zoo killed a 17-year-old ape named Harambe.
Somehow inexplicably a four-year-old boy fell into the shallow moat at the Cincinnati Zoo where the gorilla was located.
To say that this is every parents worst nightmare is an understatement.
The gorilla apparently touched the childs hand and back.
At one point the ape appeared to help the youngster stand up.
Then fearing for the child’s life, the zoos animal response team shot and killed the gorilla.
The first question is could they have used tranquilizing bullets on the animal.
The zoo was worried that the bullets would not taken effect in time to save the boys life.
Various animal-rights groups have begun to protest and boycott the Cincinnati Zoo for their actions.
They suggested that the zoo could have waited a little longer before taking the deadly action they did.
From a legal perspective, you have to wonder what else the zoo could’ve done in this situation.
The obvious question was what were the parents doing to let this happen.
But there’s a bigger issue involved here.
That issue is the value our society places on a HUMAN life.
Even though the gorilla was part of an extinct ape species, there was no hesitation on the zoos part in putting the gorilla down.
Do you agree with the decision of the zoo?
Pittsburgh wrongful death, medical malpractice, car accident and criminal defense attorney Bernie Tully thinks most people would agree with the actions of the zoo in this matter.
From a legal perspective what if they had not taken action and the gorilla had killed the four-year-old boy?
The zoo would have then been subject to a massive wrongful death lawsuit for allowing the four-year-old boy to die.
Pittsburgh wrongful death, medical malpractice, car accident and criminal defense attorney Bernie Tully doesn’t think there’s even a question about that fact.
The zoo would’ve been sued in a heartbeat.
This terrible Hobson’s choice points out that a person’s life matters in America.
That is why in a wrongful death case, a jury is allowed to award money damages for the wrongful taking of a life.
That is why in wrongful death cases that we pursue we let the jury know that anyone’s life in America matters.
And if it requires the killing of an animal or something else that is not a human, that’s a small price to pay.
Anyway that’s my opinion. What do you think of the decision of the Cincinnati zoo?
Do you support their decision to put the gorilla down?
If not what would the alternative have been?
I’m really interested in hearing your response to these vital legal questions.
Thanks for reading.
Bernie the Attorney