THE BALLOON MAN

Court Rules Circus Can Sue Animal Rights Groups for Racketeering
FROM: legaltimes.typepad.com
July 09, 2012
U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan today ruled that Feld Entertainment Inc., the parent company of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, can move ahead with its federal racketeering case against a coalition of animal rights groups.

The opinion (PDF) is the latest development in more than a decade of litigation over how the circus treats its Asian elephants. The animal rights groups sued Feld Entertainment in 2000, accusing the circus of mistreating its elephants. Sullivan dismissed the case in 2009, finding that the one individual plaintiff, Thomas Rider, who had worked with the circus's elephants, wasn't credible and had essentially been paid to serve as a plaintiff and fact witness.

Feld Entertainment sued the animal rights groups in 2007, claiming violations of federal racketeering laws and a host of other state law claims. Sullivan heard arguments on the animal rights groups' motions to dismiss in June 2011. In today's opinion, Sullivan found that Feld Entertainment met the requirements for making claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act.
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