Berkeley Law Students Charged In Vegas Bird Decapitation

Felony charges in casino bird's beheading

What happens in Vegas can end up in a courtroom.

Two University of California Berkeley law school students were charged with crimes -- one with felonies -- in Las Vegas for allegedly beheading an exotic bird, according to reports.

Prosecutors say Justin Teixeira, 24, and Eric Cuellar, 24, stole a 14-year old helmeted guineafowl from a cage at the Flamingo resort and casino on Oct. 12. The pair were seen on surveillance video chasing the bird into some trees, and then emerging a short time later with the bird's body and its severed head, the Associated Press reported.

Teixeira's charges include felony killing and felony torturing of an animal, while Cuellar's charge is a misdemeanor. Teixeira could face prison time if convicted, while Cuellar's maximum sentence is six months in jail, the news agency reported.

If convicted, the men's futures as attorneys may be at risk. The State Bar of California requires lawyers to "demonstrate good moral character."

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