Habeas News

David Cassuto

This is an important, potentially historic oral argument.  Go if you can:

 

 

Appellate Division, First Department, County Supreme Court to Hear Oral Argument in Two Chimpanzee Rights Cases Filed by the Nonhuman Rights Project

The Nonhuman Rights Project will argue its appeal of the failure of the New York County Supreme Court to issue writs of habeas corpus on behalf of two captive chimpanzees, Tommy and Kiko, in a hearing at the Appellate Division, First Department, Supreme Court in Manhattan at or after 2 p.m. on March 16^th.

The ruling that results from the hearing may determine whether Tommy and Kiko—both featured in the new HBO documentary Unlocking the Cage—will be recognized as legal persons with the fundamental right to bodily liberty or remain “things” deprived of even a single right.

WHAT:  NhRP President Steven M. Wise and NhRP staff will gather with supporters on the courthouse steps for 30 minutes prior to the hearing. The hearing follows from the NhRP’s 2016 appeals of a Manhattan lower court’s denial of its second round of two separate habeas petitions on behalf of Tommy and Kiko respectively.

 WHEN:  Thursday, March 16, 2017

Gathering on courthouse steps: 1:30 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Hearing: At or after 2 p.m. Oral argument is expected to last 30 minutes. The NhRP will learn the exact start time that day and announce it to interested media as soon as it becomes available.

 WHERE: 27 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010 (at the corner of 25^th St. and Madison Ave.)

WHO: A panel of five judges will hear oral argument from the NhRP legal team, led by Wise.

CASE NO: Tommy: Index. No. 162358/15 (New York County)

Kiko: Index. No. 150149/16 (New York County)

CASE NAMES: THE NONHUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT, INC., on behalf of TOMMY, Petitioner-Appellant, -against- PATRICK C. LAVERY, individually and as an officer of Circle L Trailer Sales, Inc., DIANE L. LAVERY, and CIRCLE L TRAILER SALES, INC., Respondents-Respondents.

THE NONHUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT, INC., on behalf of KIKO, Petitioner-Appellant, -against- CARMEN PRESTI, individually and as an officer and director of The Primate Sanctuary, Inc., CHRISTIE E. PRESTI, individually and as an officer and director of The Primate Sanctuary, Inc., and THE PRIMATE SANCTUARY, INC., Respondents-Respondents.