Animal News

Dallas police make arrest in connection with monkeys at Dallas Zoo

Tamarin monkey at Dallas Zoo.

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In America's Most Wanted news, a man has been arrested in connection with a recent theft of monkeys at the Dallas Zoo.

According to a release from the Dallas Police Department, police arrested Davion Irvin, 24, on February 2, in connection with the case involving emperor tamarin monkeys at the Dallas Zoo.

Two tamarin monkeys named Bella and Finn were reported missing on January 30. In an ensuing investigation, the Dallas Police Department suggested that the monkeys had been intentionally taken from their enclosure.

The monkeys were found on January 31, after Dallas police received a tip that the monkeys were at an abandoned home next door to a church in Lancaster. The monkeys have been returned to the zoo.

The missing monkeys became national news.

Dallas Zoo monkeys Police were seeking information about this man spotted at the Dallas Zoo. DPD

The man was found with help from the public, including an identification of who he was. On Thursday, Dallas police received a tip that Irvin was seen at the Dallas Aquarium near animal exhibits.

Officers saw Irvin get onto a DART rail, then later spotted him in the 1400 block of Pacific and took him to Jack Evans Headquarters for questioning.

Irvin has been charged with six counts of Animal Cruelty- non-livestock, in connection to the tamarin monkey case. He's been taken to the Dallas County Jail.

UPDATE 2-3/2023 4:15 pm: Irvin has also been charged with two counts of burglary to a building. These charges are in connection to the clouded leopard and tamarin monkey cases.

But Irvin is not currently linked to the death of a a lappet-faced vulture that occurred on January 21. According to the police, that investigation is separate and still ongoing.

Irvin has been linked with to the clouded leopard, langur monkey, and tamarin monkey case.The investigation into all cases at the zoo are ongoing and further charges are possible.

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Weed News

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Dallas over decriminalization of marijuana

Photo courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife

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The City of Dallas has been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for its efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

According to a release, Paxton has sued the city for adopting a city charter amendment that would decriminalize marijuana-related offenses and prohibit police from enforcing Texas law.

That amendment was Proposition R, or Dallas Freedom Act, which decriminalizes possession of four ounces of marijuana or less. Voters passed the amendment in the November 5 election, with 67 percent voting in favor.

The lawsuit, filed against the Dallas City Council, alleges that Proposition R is unconstitutional and violates Texas drug laws criminalizing any amount of marijuana.

Paxton says that cities can't "pick and choose which state laws to follow." He's proposing a permanent injunction to stop Proposition R from going into effect.

"The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them," says Paxton in a statement. "This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”

Before the recent election, possession of two to four ounces of marijuana could result in a punishment of 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Ground Game Texas, the activist nonprofit that has also helped get marijuana decriminalization on the ballot in elections across Texas, first got the issue on the ballot in July with the necessary 50,000 signatures.

Dallas is not the only city to be sued; Paxton also filed lawsuits against five other cities in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and San Marcos in January for their ballots and policies decriminalizing marijuana.

Both Austin and San Marcos had a judge overturn their cases, according to a FOX 4 report.

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