Justin Teixeira, a 24-year-old University of California, Berkeley law school graduate pleaded guilty Wednesday for drunken decapitation of a large exotic bird on the Las Vegas Strip, in October.
Teixeira, who graduated in May, admitted he was guilty of felony killing of another person's animal. He is accused of chasing and beheading Turk, a 14-year-old helmeted guinea fowl, with his hand at the Flamingo Hotel's Wildlife Habitat on Oct. 12.
According to the witnesses, Teixeira along with two other men threw the dead bird and laughed about it.
The Class D felony carries a sentence of one to four years in prison with an option of probation and a maximum fine of $5,000.
Teixeira agreed to attend a four-month boot camp program for young first-time offenders. If he completes the program, he will be eligible for probation up to three years. As part of his deal with the prosecutors, two other charges were dropped against Teixeira.
The Chief Deputy District Attorney Frank Coumou said that if he successfully completes both boot camp and probation, the felony count will be reduced to a misdemeanour. Judge Stefany Miley will pronounce Teixeira's final verdict on Oct. 16 hearing.
Two other law students involved in the crime have already entered their pleas in the case. Hazhir Kargaran,26, a recent law school graduate pleaded no contest in May, to three misdemeanour charges of instigating an act of animal cruelty, malicious destruction of property and trespassing.
While Eric Cuellar, a 24-year-old third year law student pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor charge of instigating an act of cruelty to an animal earlier this year. Both men were fined, served two days in jail and spent 48 hours of community service.
The Chief Deputy District Attorney Frank Coumou said that the video footage showed the men were under the influence of alcohol, but that does not mean that they can get away with any crime.
"They can be as skunk drunk as they want; it is not an excuse and it is not a defense," Coumou said. "It's sad that Turk had to die but I think it really has refocused our attention on some of these cases that should be perhaps be prosecuted a little more vigorously,"
