Historic Victory for Chimpanzees
Litigation - Article Series: from All-Creatures.org Articles Archive
FROM
The Nonhuman Rights Project
April 2015
[Also read Pushing the Legal Envelope for Animals]
This is the first time in history that a judge has granted an order to show cause and writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a nonhuman animal. The ruling also implicitly recognizes Hercules and Leo as legal persons, since only legal persons may be granted a writ of habeas corpus under New York common law.
Exciting news! We are thrilled to be able to tell you that a Manhattan Supreme Court Justice has granted an order to show cause and writ of habeas corpus on behalf of NhRP plaintiffs Hercules and Leo, two chimpanzees being used in biomedical experiments at Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York.
This is the first time in history that a judge has granted an order to show cause and writ of habeas corpus on behalf of a nonhuman animal.
The ruling also implicitly recognizes Hercules and Leo as legal persons, since only legal persons may be granted a writ of habeas corpus under New York common law.
Needless to say, this is huge news, and we are beyond grateful for your commitment to the pursuit of freedom and justice for these imprisoned chimpanzees. Whether you've donated, helped to raise awareness of our work, or written in to let us know that you stand behind our mission, the NhRP would never have gotten this far without your support.
Next up: a hearing in which Stony Brook University—represented by the Attorney General of New York—must appear in court and provide a legally sufficient reason for detaining Hercules and Leo, whom we argue should be freed and released into the care of Save the Chimps' sanctuary in Ft. Pierce, Florida.
To read the judge's order and the press release we issued, visit our website. We'll be sure to keep you updated on any developments via our newsletter and social media sites. In the meantime, please share this news with anyone you know who supports nonhuman rights!
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