A felony animal‑torture case against Canadian tourist Mitchell Fairbarn is now before a Clark County jury. Fairbarn, who traveled to Las Vegas for a work event at the Con Expo, said he and friends consumed "30 to 40" beers over a 24‑hour period. He turned off his phone for the first time in nine years, then later turned it back on and made a Snapchat audio call around 5:00 a.m. on March 3 while standing at the pink railing of the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino bird habitat.
Surveillance video captured Fairbarn walking around the flamingo island for about ten minutes, wading into the water, and ultimately grabbing "Peachy," a 27‑year‑old Chilean flamingo, from the habitat. Fairbarn told the court he entered the area to get closer to the birds and later admitted he lied to security about seeing an "injured animal." He said, "I thought it was something that we could joke about for the rest of our lives," and asserted he had no malicious intent, answering “No” when asked if he intended harm.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Haley Willming confronted Fairbarn, asking, "When you told someone, you grabbed the flamingo to get it help, that was a lie," to which Fairbarn replied, "Yes." Defense attorney Josh Tomsheck pressed further, asking if Fairbarn had any malicious intent, and Fairbarn again said, "No." Prosecutors highlighted injuries to the bird, noting red spots on hotel fabric after the incident.
Flamingo facilities manager Wyatt Mayhall arrived on the wrong floor initially, then corralled the bird with a towel. He described the capture, saying, "I scooped him up like a sack of potatoes," and noted the bird showed spots of red on the hotel fabric. The bird spent roughly 15 minutes with Fairbarn, then two to three minutes in his hotel room before being released back into the hallway. The jury continues to consider the evidence.
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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