KARE 11 Investigates - Jungle Josh - Part 2
(Brad Woodard) WHICH BRINGS US TO EVENTS PRECEDING JOSH'S DECISION TO MOVE TO MINNESOTA. THE STORY BEGINS HERE IN LAS VEGAS IN THE MID 90'S, WHERE JOSH ASPIRED TO JOIN THE TOP ENTERTAINERS ON THE LEGENDARY STRIP. BUT INSTEAD OF FINDING STARDOM...HE FOUND TROUBLE. IN FACT, THE HEAD OF LAS VEGAS ANIMAL CONTROL SAYS HIS AGENCY EVENTUALLY STOPPED ISSUING WEINSTEIN PERMITS TO DISPLAY HIS ANIMALS, BECAUSE HE DIDN'T PLAY BY THE RULES AND WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN.
(NEWS STORY) GOOD AFTERNOON, A TIGER ATTACKED AND KILLED IT'S TRAINER LAST NIGHT.
(Brad Woodard) A FEAR THAT WAS CONFIRMED IN MARCH OF 2001.
(NEWS STORY) I WAS ABLE TO PUT SHOVE MY ARM IN HIS MOUTH AND PRY HIM OFF.
(WOODARD) TELL ME ABOUT ERIC BLOOM. ERIC WAS A TRAINER THAT I WORKED WITH WHO UNFORTUNATELY WAS CAUGHT IN A VERY, VERY UNUSUAL SITUATION.
(MAI LEA MALLORY) THE TIGER JUMPED UP BEHIND HIM AND BIT HIM ON THE NECK AND KILLED HIM.
(Brad Woodard) AND WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU HEARD THAT. YOU AND ERIC WERE PRETTY CLOSE WEREN'T YOU? YEAH.
(MAI LEA MALLORY)I NEED TO STOP.
(Brad Woodard) BLOOM'S FORMER GIRLFRIEND, 19 YEAR OLD MAI LEA MALLORY, SAYS SHE STARTED TRAINING ANIMALS WITH WEINSTEIN AT AGE 11.
(MAI LEA MALLORY) HIS CARE FOR THE ANIMALS IS NOWHERE NEAR WHAT IT SHOULD BE. I SAW HIM MANY TIMES NOT FEED THE ANIMALS.
(JONATHAN KRAFT)HORRIFIC ABUSE. EXPLOITATION TO THE MAX...AND TOTAL DISREGARD FOR ANIMAL SAFETY.
(Brad Woodard) JONATHAN KRAFT RUNS A SANCTUARY FOR EXOTIC ANIMALS IN KINGMAN, ARIZONA. HE SAYS HE ALLOWED JOSH TO HOUSE HIS ANIMALS AT A FACILITY HE PREVIOUSLY OWNED IN LAS VEGAS.
(JONATHAN KRAFT) AND IT WAS PERHAPS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I EVER MADE... I MEAN NOT FEEDING ANIMALS FOR FOUR DAYS AT A TIME. THAWING THEIR FOOD OUT IN 110 DEGRESS THAT WOULD LAY THERE FOR TWO AND THREE DAYS IN THE HEAT TIL THE FLIES WOULD NO LONGER SIT ON IT.
(Brad Woodard) WHILE THERE ARE NUMEROUS U.S.D.A. INSPECTION REPORTS, CITING INADEQUATE CONDITIONS AT WEINSTEIN'S SAFARI WILDLIFE FACILITY...THE U.S.D.A. DECLINED OUR REQUEST FOR AN INTERVIEW, STATING THAT IT HAS AN OPEN INVESTIGATION INTO WEINSTEIN FOR POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT. BUT A FORMER U.S.D.A. INSPECTOR FAMILIAR WITH WEINSTEINS CASE AGREED TO TALK.
(Brad Woodard) ONE INSPECTION REPORT ALSO NOTED THAT WEINSTEIN HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED AS HAVING SUFFICIENT TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE TO EXHIBIT A CHIMPANZEE IN SITUATIONS INVOLVING DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE PUBLIC...
(Brad Woodard) SO THERE'S NO RISK TO THE AUDIENCE?
(WEINSTEIN) I DON'T BELIEVE SO. YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY NOTHING IN LIFE IS RISK FREE.
(NAT SOUND) HI, SWEET BOY. WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
(SARAH ROY) I SAW HIM BEAT TARZAN WITH A FIST, WITH A STICK...WHATEVER HE HAD IN RANGE.
(Brad Woodard) SARAH ROY SAYS SHE WORKED FOR JOSH NEARLY THREE YEARS IN LAS VEGAS. AND IN ALL THAT TIME, I'VE NEVER SEEN ONE ANIMAL THAT HE'S TAKEN CARE OF THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
(SARAH ROY) AS FAR AS TARZAN GOES, YEAH, I SAW HIM HIT HIM A LOT. JUST LITERALLY BEAT HIM. I SAW TARZAN GO DAYS WITHOUT FOOD AND FOR A CHIMP, THAT'S A LONG TIME.
(Brad Woodard) WHILE THERE'S NO INDICATION THAT IT'S THE RESULT OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT...
(Brad Woodard) HOW'S TARZAN DOING?
(WEINSTEIN) I'M SORRY, I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
(Brad Woodard) SOURCES TELL US TARZAN DIED EARLIER THIS MONTH...SOMETHING WEINSTEIN WON'T CONFIRM...
(Brad Woodard) IS TARZAN DEAD?
(WEINSTEIN) I'M SORRY I'M GOING TO HAVE TO ASK YOU TO LEAVE.
(Brad Woodard) WE'LL GLADLY LEAVE.
(Brad Woodard) OR DENY
(Brad Woodard) I'M SORRY ABOUT TARZAN.
(Brad Woodard) BRAD WOODARD, KARE 11 NEWS, STACEY.
back
|
