Law school bros face charges over beheaded bird

Sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t really stay in Vegas.

Two UC Berkeley law students thought they were in the clear when they allegedly decided to behead an exotic bird in October.

On Christmas Day, though, Justin Teixeira, 24 and Eric Cuellar, 24, received a lovely present from the Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson: Charges for allegedly killing “Turk,” a 14-year-year-old helmeted guineafowl at the Flamingo Casino and Resort in Las Vegas back in October, according to KTVU.

A witness saw the two on Oct. 12 laughing and throwing the bird’s body around their garden-style habitat. Teixeira’s charges include felony killing and torturing of an animal, while Cuellar faces a misdemeanor charge of instigating, engaging in or furthering an act of animal cruelty.

Native to East Africa and Madagascar, helmeted guineafowl resemble exotic blue-headed polka-dot studded turkeys.

Casino surveillance video captured the men chasing the bird into some trees in their habitat then later emerging with the bird’s body and severed head. Gross. District attorney Wolfson seems to think so too:

“This was a cruel and malicious act.”

Vegas.com says farmers around the world use the birds as alarms — when someone enters the territory they shriek loudly. Did Turk see his (alleged) killers approach? No one will ever know.

Since the two are aspiring attorneys, any convicted criminal charges could affect their future law careers in California. The State Bar of California requires that applicants demonstrate good moral character. I don’t think the state bar takes too kindly to convicted felons.